better
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- superior, excelling, finer, greater, higher-quality, more desirable, preferable, surpassing
- well, cured, fully recovered, on the mend (informal), recovering, stronger
[adverb]
Synonyms:
- in a more excellent manner, in a superior way, more advantageously, more attractively, more competently, more effectively
- to a greater degree, more completely, more thoroughly
[verb]
Synonyms:
- improve, enhance, further, raise

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Antonyms: worse, worsen
Contrasted words: collapse, defeat, disadvantage, loss, beating, drubbing, licking
Related Idioms: more than a match for
Related Words: exceeding, exceptional, surpassing, choice, desirable, excellent, success, triumph, win

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English Thesaurus: better, superior, preferable, be an improvement on something, have the edge, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. bet‧ter¹ S1 W1 /ˈbetə $ -ər/ adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: betera]

1. [comparative of good] more useful, interesting, satisfactory, effective, suitable etc Antonym : worse:
Your stereo is better than mine.
There must be a better way to do this.
a better-quality car
much/a lot/far better
We now have a much better understanding of the disease.
better still/even better
It was even better than last year.
► Better is a comparative form. Do not say ‘more better’.

2. [comparative of well]
a) more healthy or less ill or painful than before Antonym : worse:
She is a little better today, the doctor says.
I’m feeling much better, thank you.
b) completely well again after an illness:
When you’re better we can see about planning a trip.
I hope he gets better (=recovers from an illness) soon.

3. it is better/it would be better used to give your opinion or make a suggestion about what you think should be done or happen
it is better to do something
It’s much better to get a proper written agreement.
it is better/it would be better if
It might be better if you stayed here.

4. get better to improve:
Her English isn’t really getting any better.
Things can only get better.

5. no better
a) not better than something else or something before:
The following day the weather was no better.
b) used to say that something is the best
there is no better way/example/place etc
There’s no better way of exploring the region.

6. nothing better
a) used to say that you really like something or think that something is very good
like/love/enjoy nothing better (than)
She likes nothing better than a nice long walk along the beach.
There’s nothing better than beating someone who’s playing well.
b) used to say that a thing or situation is not very good, but is the only thing possible or available
have nothing better to do
Have you got nothing better to do than sit there playing that silly game?
I only picked it up because there was nothing better to read.

7. that’s better spoken used to say that something has improved, that you are happier or more comfortable, or to encourage someone:
Ah, that’s better. I needed to sit down.
‘Can you turn it down?’ ‘Is that better?’

8. better late than never spoken used to say that even if something happens late or someone arrives late, this is better than it not happening or their not arriving at all
⇒ your better half/other half at half²(8), ⇒ the best/better part of something at part¹(9), ⇒ against your better judgment at judgment(1), ⇒ sb’s better nature at nature(2), ⇒ better luck next time at luck¹(14), ⇒ better the devil you know at devil(11), ⇒ have seen better days at see¹(30)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. better² S1 W1 adverb [comparative of well]

1. to a higher standard or quality Antonym : worse:
He can speak French a lot better than I can.
Your bike will run better if you oil it. ⇒ fare better at fare²

2. to a higher degree Synonym : more:
She knows this town better than you do.
I think I like the red one better.
Potter is better known for his TV work.

3. had better
a) used to give advice about what someone should do, or to say what you should do or need to do:
I’d better go and get ready.
I think you’d better ask Jo first.
You had better not tell Oliver (=it is not a good idea).
b) used to threaten someone:
You’d better keep your mouth shut about this.
► In speech, people usually shorten had to ‘d, and may not pronounce it at all. But do not leave out had or ’d in writing: You’d better (NOT You better) come here!

4. do better to perform better or reach a higher standard:
We did better than all the other schools.
You can do better than that!

5. the sooner the better/the bigger the better etc used to emphasize that you would prefer something to happen as soon as possible, want something to be as big as possible etc:
School finishes at the end of the week, and the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.
The younger you start learning a language, the better you’ll speak it.

6. go one better (than somebody) informal to do something more successfully than someone else:
The following year Lewis went one better by winning the gold medal.
Of course, they had to go one better and have the whole garden redesigned.
⇒ better off

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. better³ noun

1. the better the one that is higher in quality, more suitable etc when you are comparing two similar people or things:
It’s hard to decide which one’s the better.

2. get the better of somebody
a) if your feelings or wishes get the better of you, they make you behave in a way you would not normally behave:
My curiosity finally got the better of me and I opened the letter.
I think her nerves got the better of her.
b) to defeat someone or deal successfully with a problem

3. for the better in a way that improves the situation:
a definite change for the better
The president’s fortunes seem, at last, to have taken a turn for the better (=started to improve).

4. so much the better used to say that something would be even better or bring even more advantages:
If they can do them both at the same time, then so much the better.

5. be all the better for something to be improved by a particular action, change etc:
I think it’s all the better for that extra ten minutes’ cooking.

6. for better or (for) worse used to say that something must be accepted, whether it is good or bad, because it cannot be changed:
Work is, for better or worse, becoming more flexible nowadays.

7. your betters old-fashioned people who are more important than you or deserve more respect
⇒ worse², ⇒ elders and betters at elder²(2)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

IV. better⁴ verb [transitive]

1. to be higher in quality, amount etc than someone or something else:
His total of five gold medals is unlikely to be bettered.

2. better yourself to improve your position in society by getting a better education or earning more money

3. formal to improve something:
bettering the lot of the working classes

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

better
adj.
I. comparative of ‘good’
VERBS be, feel, look, seem | get Cars are getting better all the time.
make sth We must make our inner cities better to live and work in.
consider sth, deem sth, judge sth, think sth I thought it better to tackle him outside of business hours.
ADV. a damned/darned sight, even, far, a lot, markedly, (very) much, still, substantially, ten/a hundred/a thousand times His latest book is a darned sight better than the one before.
a bit, a good/great deal, a little, marginally, slightly
PHRASES no better Charles VII was a bad king, and Charles VIII was no better.
nothing better than There's nothing better than a nice juicy peach!

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

better
II. recovered from an illness
VERBS be, feel, look, seem | get I hope you get better soon.
get sb, make sb Don't worry. The doctor will soon make you better.
kiss sth Did you hurt yourself? Poor thing?come here and let me kiss it better.
ADV. a lot, (very) much | a bit, a good/great deal, a little, slightly

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

better
I.
adverb
1.
BAD: You better make sure you're not late again.
GOOD: You'd better make sure you're not late again.
BAD: My friends warned me that I should better be careful.
GOOD: My friends warned me that I had better be careful.

Usage Note:
had better (not) : 'If the phone rings again, you'd better answer it.' 'If it's a secret, you'd better not tell me.'
Note that had is usually shortened to d and sometimes may not be heard at all.

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2.
BAD: 'You'd better to hurry up,' she shouted.
GOOD: 'You'd better hurry up,' she shouted.

Usage Note:
had better (not) do sth (NOT to do ): 'You'd better not leave all that money on the table.'

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3.
BAD: Instead of using a dictionary all the time, you had better try to guess the meaning of the words.
GOOD: Instead of using a dictionary all the time, you should try to guess the meanings of the words.
BAD: If people want to be healthy, they had better be more careful about what they eat.
GOOD: If people want to be healthy, they should be more careful about what they eat.

Usage Note:
Had better is used in informal styles when you give someone strong advice about what to do in a particular situation. The situation usually exists at the moment of speaking and so there is usually a sense of urgency in the advice: 'You'd better hurry or you'll miss the bus.' 'You'd better ring your parents - just in case they're worrying about you.'
To give advice on a general situation or to say that one course of action is better than another one, use should, ought to or it would be better to: 'Parents should teach their children to be kind to animals.' 'Rather than complain and risk upsetting her, it would be better to say nothing.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

better
II.
adjective
BAD: German cars are more expensive but they are more better.
GOOD: German cars are more expensive but they are better.

Usage Note:
good, better, best

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

better the comparative of good:
She wants a better job.
The sales figures were far better than expected.
Lucy’s better at French than I am.
superior better, especially in quality:
German cars are far superior.
a superior product
He thinks men are superior to women.
preferable formal more suitable or useful – used when saying which one you prefer:
Cash would be preferable.
Anything would be preferable to the system we have now.
be an improvement on something to be better than something that existed before:
The engine is a huge improvement on previous diesel engines.
have the edge to be slightly better than another person or thing – used especially when saying which one will win in a game or competition:
Federer is likely to have the edge in Sunday’s game.
For me, this film has the edge over the others.
be miles ahead (of somebody/something) (also be streets ahead (of somebody/something) British English) informal to be very much better than someone or something that you are competing against:
The company is streets ahead of its rivals.
there’s no comparison spoken used to emphasize that one person or thing is clearly much better than someone or something else:
There’s no comparison between the two teams.
‘Which apartment do you prefer?' 'Well, there’s no comparison. The first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has much nicer furniture.'

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

healthy having good health:
A good diet keeps you healthy.
They tested the drug on healthy volunteers.
well used especially when describing or asking about how someone feels or looks:
I don’t feel well.
How was James – did he look well?
fine spoken used in a reply to a question about your health, or when talking about someone else’s health. Use fine only in replies, not in questions or statements:
‘Hi, Tom, how are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks.’
She had a bad cold, but she’s fine now.
all right/OK spoken not ill or injured. These expressions are very commonly used in everyday spoken English:
You look pale – are you feeling all right?
He’s had an accident but he’s OK.
better less ill than you were, or no longer ill:
I’m feeling a lot better now.
Don’t come back to school until you’re better.
fit healthy, especially because you exercise regularly:
She keeps fit by cycling everywhere.
Police officers have to be physically fit and have good eyesight.
in (good) shape healthy and fit:
Jogging keeps me in pretty good shape.
robust literary healthy and strong, and not likely to become ill:
He had a robust constitution (=a strong and healthy body).
robust plants
a robust girl, wearing a thick woollen sweater
be/look a picture of health to look very healthy:
She looked a picture of health as she posed for the cameras.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

install to put a piece of equipment somewhere and connect it so that it is ready to be used:
The company is installing a new computer system.
How much does it cost to install central heating?
put in to install something. Put in is more common in everyday English than install and is used especially about things that are not very complicated to install:
The workmen are coming to put the new windows in today.
They removed the bath and put in a shower instead.
fit to put a new part or piece of equipment into or onto something:
I had to fit new locks after the burglary.
All vehicles must have seatbelts fitted.
lay to put cables or a carpet in the correct place on the ground:
Work on laying the telephone cables has not yet begun.
Two workmen were laying carpet tiles in the kitchen.
healthy having good health:
A good diet keeps you healthy.
They tested the drug on healthy volunteers.
well used especially when describing or asking about how someone feels or looks:
I don’t feel well.
How was James – did he look well?
fine spoken used in a reply to a question about your health, or when talking about someone else’s health. Use fine only in replies, not in questions or statements:
‘Hi, Tom, how are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks.’
She had a bad cold, but she’s fine now.
all right/OK spoken not ill or injured. These expressions are very commonly used in everyday spoken English:
You look pale – are you feeling all right?
He’s had an accident but he’s OK.
better less ill than you were, or no longer ill:
I’m feeling a lot better now.
Don’t come back to school until you’re better.
in (good) shape healthy and fit:
Jogging keeps me in pretty good shape.
robust literary healthy and strong, and not likely to become ill:
He had a robust constitution (=a strong and healthy body).
robust plants
a robust girl, wearing a thick woollen sweater
be/look a picture of health to look very healthy:
She looked a picture of health as she posed for the cameras.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

better
̈ɪˈbetə
See: all better , discretion is the better part of valor , for better or worse , for the better , get the better of , go --- one better , had better , half a loaf is better than none or half a loaf is better than no bread , see better days , think better of

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲