better

/ˈbɛdər/
/ˈbɛte/
IPA guide

Other forms: betters; bettered; bettering; betterly

Something better is improved — like when a more advanced computer comes out, or you feel better after a cold.

When we talk about things being better, we're comparing in a favorable way. A great movie is better than a good or awful movie. With practice, you will get better at a sport or a subject like math. Doctors help patients feel better, and mechanics make a car run better. If 51% or more of the people voted for you, then you had the support of better than half the people. When things are getting better, they're improving.

Definitions of better
  1. adjective
    (comparative of `good') superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
    “You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din”
    “a better coat”
    “a better type of car”
    “a suit with a better fit”
    “a better chance of success”
    “produced a better mousetrap”
    “she's better in math than in history”
    synonyms:
    amended
    modified for the better
    finer
    (comparative of `fine') greater in quality or excellence
    improved
    become or made better in quality
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    antonyms:
    worse
    (comparative of `bad') inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
    worsened
    made or become worse; impaired
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    (comparative of `good') changed for the better in health or fitness
    “her health is better now”
    “I feel better”
    synonyms:
    fitter, healthier
    improved in health or physical condition
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    antonyms:
    worse
    changed for the worse in health or fitness
  3. adjective
    (comparative and superlative of `well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable
    “it would be better to speak to him”
    synonyms: best
    advisable
    worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise
  4. adverb
    comparative of `well'; in a better or more excellent manner or more advantageously or attractively or to a greater degree etc.
    “She had never sung better”
    “a deed better left undone”
    “better suited to the job”
  5. adverb
    from a position of superiority or authority
    “I know better.”
    synonyms: best
  6. noun
    something superior in quality or condition or effect
    “a change for the better”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    good, goodness
    that which is pleasing or valuable or useful
  7. noun
    the superior one of two alternatives
    “chose the better of the two”
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    type of:
    good, goodness
    that which is pleasing or valuable or useful
  8. noun
    a superior person having claim to precedence
    “the common man has been kept in his place by his betters”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    higher-up, superior, superordinate
    one of greater rank or station or quality
  9. verb
    surpass in excellence
    “She bettered her own record”
    synonyms: break
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    type of:
    exceed, outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, surmount, surpass
    be or do something to a greater degree
  10. verb
    to make better
    synonyms: ameliorate, amend, improve, meliorate
    ameliorate, improve, meliorate
    get better
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    worsen
    make worse
    types:
    show 65 types...
    hide 65 types...
    alleviate, assuage, palliate, relieve
    provide physical relief, as from pain
    aid, help
    improve the condition of
    regenerate, revitalize
    restore strength
    enrich
    make better or improve in quality
    build up, develop
    change the use of and make available or usable
    turn around
    improve dramatically
    help
    improve; change for the better
    upgrade
    improve what was old or outdated
    condition
    put into a better state
    emend
    make improvements or corrections to
    iron out, put right, straighten out
    settle or put right
    enhance
    make better or more attractive
    bushel, doctor, fix, furbish up, mend, repair, restore, touch on
    restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
    reform
    make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices
    reform
    improve by alteration or correction of errors or defects and put into a better condition
    beautify, embellish, fancify, prettify
    make more beautiful
    build
    improve the cleansing action of
    hone, perfect
    refine or make more perfect or effective
    down, fine-tune, polish, refine
    improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
    distill, make pure, purify, sublimate
    remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation
    fructify
    make productive or fruitful
    lift, raise
    invigorate or heighten
    advance
    develop further
    upgrade
    give better travel conditions to
    educate
    give an education to
    groom, neaten
    care for one's external appearance
    curry, dress, groom
    give a neat appearance to
    soothe
    cause to feel better
    bring around, cure, heal
    provide a cure for, make healthy again
    comfort, ease
    lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate
    redevelop
    change the plans for the use of (land)
    fill out, round out
    make bigger or better or more complete
    optimise, optimize
    make optimal; get the most out of; use best
    choke, throttle
    reduce the air supply
    recondition
    bring into an improved condition
    follow up
    increase the effectiveness or success of by further action
    retouch, touch up
    alter so as to produce a more desirable appearance
    rejuvenate
    make younger or more youthful
    fiddle, tinker
    try to fix or mend
    fill
    plug with a substance
    patch, piece
    repair by adding pieces
    cobble
    repair or mend
    point, repoint
    repair the joints of bricks
    trouble-shoot, troubleshoot
    solve problems
    patch, patch up
    mend by putting a patch on
    dress up, window-dress
    make something appear superficially attractive
    slick up, smarten up, spiff up, spruce, spruce up, titivate, tittivate
    make neat, smart, or trim
    brush up, burnish, polish, polish up, round, round off
    bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state
    over-refine, overrefine
    refine too much or with excess of subtlety
    rectify, refine
    reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities
    purge
    rid of impurities
    feed, fertilise, fertilize
    provide with fertilizers or add nutrients to
    resole, sole
    put a new sole on
    revamp, vamp
    provide (a shoe) with a new vamp
    heel, reheel
    put a new heel on
    settle
    establish or develop as a residence
    polish, shine, smooth, smoothen
    make (a surface) shine
    darn
    repair by sewing
    benefit, do good
    be beneficial for
    socialise, socialize
    train for a social environment
    groom, prepare, train
    educate for a future role or function
    co-educate, coeducate
    educate persons of both sexes together
    school
    educate in or as if in a school
    civilise, civilize, cultivate, educate, school, train
    teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment
    become, suit
    enhance the appearance of
    type of:
    alter, change, modify
    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
  11. verb
    get better
    synonyms: ameliorate, improve, meliorate
    ameliorate, amend, improve, meliorate
    make better
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    worsen
    grow worse
    types:
    show 14 types...
    hide 14 types...
    convalesce, recover, recuperate
    get over an illness or shock
    heal
    get healthy again
    reform, see the light, straighten out
    change for the better
    surge
    see one's performance improve
    pick up, turn around
    improve significantly; go from bad to good
    bounce back, get over, get well
    improve in health
    heal, mend
    heal or recover
    fructify
    become productive or fruitful
    upgrade
    get better travel conditions
    gain vigor, percolate, perk, perk up, pick up
    gain or regain energy
    snap back
    recover quickly
    scab
    form a scab
    skin over
    grow new skin over an injury
    granulate
    form granulating tissue
    type of:
    change state, turn
    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
  12. adjective
    more than half
    “argued for the better part of an hour”
    synonyms:
    major
    greater in number or size or amount
  13. noun
    someone who bets
    synonyms: bettor, punter, wagerer
    see moresee less
    types:
    taker
    one who takes a bet or wager
    caller
    the bettor in a card game who matches the bet and calls for a show of hands
    type of:
    gambler
    a person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events
Pronunciation
US
/ˈbɛdər/
UK
/ˈbɛte/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘better'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

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