better 1 of 4

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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better

2 of 4

noun

better

3 of 4

verb

better

4 of 4

adjective

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
Adverb
The White House, ahead of the speech, paired police reform with bringing down violence, suggesting that giving police better training tools could lead to less crime nationwide. Zeke Miller and, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023 Buschatzke and others argue that a better and more equitable approach would be to start accounting for evaporation and other water losses from the reservoirs and along the river in the Lower Basin. Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023
Noun
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
Verb
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
Adjective
Consent decrees have been credited with bettering some of the country's 18,000 police departments. Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 22 May 2025 Brazilian dystopian series 3% is another show that follows people who are struggling financially and enter a competition to better their lives. Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for better
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better
Adverb
  • Also: surely there are more eloquent ways to inform the reader that your story is set in May, 1846.
    Judy Berman, Time, 11 July 2025
  • That internal shift can make conflict feel less explosive and more constructive.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • They may also be perceived by co-workers and superiors as hesitant, withdrawn or underperforming.
    Naira Velumyan, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • Last fall, they were convicted in a separate federal case of witness tampering for misleading superiors about their actions.
    Katie Riordan, NPR, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Analysis by German football correspondent Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Tillman has some advantages.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • Yet Crawley carved out her niche not through aggressive marketing spend but through product innovation that photographs well—a crucial advantage in the Instagram economy.
    Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • That number far exceeds any other program nationwide.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 July 2025
  • The asylum process in Mexico is supposed to take about three months, said Mejía from UNHCR, but the number of cases exceeds the capacity of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid to process them.
    Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • So, how can businesses use these insights to improve customer service?
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025
  • Redirecting the uptake of nutrients to roots, leaves, and new flower buds instead of spent blooms can improve the health and vigor of the plant.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • Seventh seed Andreeva had special guests in the audience – none other than tennis legend and eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer and his wife, Mirka.
    Manasi Pathak, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • Food trucks also are permitted at special events, like those held at downtown Festival Park, Mylott said.
    Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • Periphery, fresh off their 2025 release Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre, will bring their signature technical wizardry to the tour, while Honey Revenge, whose debut album Retrograde Heart has been praised for its infectious hooks and alternative edge, will add an exciting contrast to the lineup.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 9 July 2025
  • The tiles are made from non-toxic, BPA-free plastic with smooth, rounded edges.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Russian Attacks on Ukraine and War Developments Late on July 3 and into the early hours of July 4, Russia battered Ukraine with more than 500 drones and missiles in the most intense aerial attack of the war, surpassing the previous record set just days earlier on June 29.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • The death toll from flooding in Texas surpassed 100 on Monday, as officials faced scrutiny over the adequacy of local warning systems.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 8 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Better.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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