better 1 of 4

better

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adverb

as in more
to a greater or higher extent he knows property law better than anyone else

Synonyms & Similar Words

better

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noun

better

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word better distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of better are ameliorate, help, and improve. While all these words mean "to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard," improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care
immigrants hoping to better their lot

When might ameliorate be a better fit than better?

The synonyms ameliorate and better are sometimes interchangeable, but ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

When can help be used instead of better?

The words help and better can be used in similar contexts, but help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of better
Adjective
But Democrats and other critics said the state could use the $10 million for better purposes and questioned how it would be determined that migrants voluntarily agreed to be transported. Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2023 Despite his better instincts, a 20-year-old man went to a Gary apartment complex on Nov. 2, 2017 to sell 1.5 ounces of marijuana to his co-worker. Meredith Colias-Pete and Rebecca Jacobs, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2023
Adverb
In related news, Emma Foehringer Merchant wrote a fascinating story for Undark about researchers creating a repository of birds and bats killed at solar and wind farms, to better understand why they’re getting killed and how to prevent it. Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023 Last year, the office held listening sessions in Grove Hall, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain to better understand the needs of women and gender-expansive individuals. Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023
Noun
In the dance of love there are no betters — there is only the pursuit of radical equality. Jimi Calhoun, Austin American-Statesman, 16 Apr. 2024 Conversely, credit card delinquencies declined for sports betters, a trend that showed up a couple years after legalization and surprised Hollenbeck. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 26 July 2024
Verb
People add a range of things, like chlorophyll drops, apple cider vinegar and L-theanine powder to their water in order to try to better their health. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 King was martyred for his role in that struggle for freedom and equality that has bettered the lives of all Americans, not solely African-Americans. Paul L. Newman, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for better
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better
Adjective
  • The special focused on Mal and King Ben (Mitchell Hope)’s nuptials.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The company will also sell special ticket packages that include admission to all three events, with On Location also selling VIP experiences.
    Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • Nowhere is that more apparent than on Committed to a Bit, their excellent, wide-ranging debut album.
    Stephen Daw, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2025
  • So that leaves Britney and Dylan, though seem to lean more toward Britney—who was recruited as a traitor in the penultimate episode—as the winner because Dylan wouldn’t be able to win as a sole faithful.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Strict hierarchies—In traditional Japanese companies, employees are expected to respect their superiors, making quitting a face-to-face process riddled with guilt.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • On Tuesday, Denise Cheung, who oversaw the office’s criminal division, abruptly resigned after declining a request from superiors in the Justice Department to freeze assets of a government contractor, saying there was insufficient evidence to do so.
    Alan Feuer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • These early experiments illustrated one of geothermal’s key advantages: it can be used for both electricity and heating, which collectively account for around thirty-eight per cent of global climate emissions.
    Brent Crane, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2025
  • That gave Sporting a man advantage for 44 minutes, including stoppage time.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • High-performance cultures prioritize excellence and ensure that their teams are equipped to achieve and exceed their goals.
    Margaret Graziano, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The Mets’ spending for the 2021-24 seasons exceeded what the lower-rolling Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates each spent over the past 21 years.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Supporters view McMahon as a capable executive poised to reform a department that Republicans argue has failed to improve American education.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
  • One above all is salicylic acid, renowned for its exfoliating properties that, by promoting cell turnover, improves scalp health by eliminating flaking and enhancing rosemary water's dandruff-alleviating benefits.
    Alice Nardiotti, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • One exceptional find this season is Ashlyn —founded by the South Korean designer Ashlynn Park—which had a number of looks on display in an art gallery in Paris’ first arrondissement.
    Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The core motion module is capable of a maximum joint torque of 300 N·m, a peak torque density of 203 N·m/kg, and exceptional mobility with a walking speed of 2 m/s, along with a natural human-like gait.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Each slice has irresistibly crispy, caramelized cheese edges that contrast with its soft, chewy center.
    Chrissy Suttles, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
  • This is important because the solar wind ricochets around the bubble our solar system sits within, known as the heliosphere; the edges of that bubble represent the barrier between our cosmic neighborhood and the rest of the universe.
    Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Better.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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