BETTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does better mean? 

• BETTER (noun)
  The noun BETTER has 4 senses:

1. something superior in quality or condition or effect

2. someone who bets

3. a superior person having claim to precedence

4. the superior one of two alternatives

  Familiarity information: BETTER used as a noun is uncommon.

• BETTER (adjective)
  The adjective BETTER has 4 senses:

1. (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

2. (comparative of 'good') changed for the better in health or fitness

3. (comparative and superlative of 'well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable

4. more than half

  Familiarity information: BETTER used as an adjective is uncommon.

• BETTER (verb)
  The verb BETTER has 3 senses:

1. surpass in excellence

2. to make better

3. get better

  Familiarity information: BETTER used as a verb is uncommon.

• BETTER (adverb)
  The adverb BETTER has 2 senses:

1. comparative of 'well'; in a better or more excellent manner or more advantageously or attractively or to a greater degree etc.

2. from a position of superiority or authority

  Familiarity information: BETTER used as an adverb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BETTER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Something superior in quality or condition or effect

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

a change for the better

Hypernyms ("better" is a kind of...):

good; goodness (that which is pleasing or valuable or useful)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who bets

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

better; bettor; punter; wagerer

Hypernyms ("better" is a kind of...):

gambler (a person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "better"):

caller (the bettor in a card game who matches the bet and calls for a show of hands)

taker (one who takes a bet or wager)

Derivation:

bet (stake on the outcome of an issue)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A superior person having claim to precedence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

the common man has been kept in his place by his betters

Hypernyms ("better" is a kind of...):

higher-up; superior; superordinate (one of greater rank or station or quality)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The superior one of two alternatives

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

chose the better of the two

Hypernyms ("better" is a kind of...):

good; goodness (that which is pleasing or valuable or useful)

Derivation:

better (get better)

better (to make better)

better (surpass in excellence)

• BETTER (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(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

Context example:

she's better in math than in history

Similar:

amended (modified for the better)

finer ((comparative of 'fine') greater in quality or excellence)

improved (become or made better in quality)

Domain usage:

comparative; comparative degree (the comparative form of an adjective or adverb)

Antonym:

worse ((comparative of 'bad') inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(comparative of 'good') changed for the better in health or fitness

Context example:

I feel better

Similar:

fitter; healthier (improved in health or physical condition)

Domain usage:

comparative; comparative degree (the comparative form of an adjective or adverb)

Antonym:

worse (changed for the worse in health or fitness)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(comparative and superlative of 'well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable

Synonyms:

best; better

Context example:

the White House thought it best not to respond

Similar:

advisable (worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise)

Domain usage:

comparative; comparative degree (the comparative form of an adjective or adverb)

Sense 4

Meaning:

More than half

Context example:

argued for the better part of an hour

Similar:

major (greater in number or size or amount)

• BETTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they better    ... he / she / it betters   
Past simple: bettered   
Past participle: bettered   
-ing form: bettering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Surpass in excellence

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

better; break

Context example:

break a record

Hypernyms (to "better" is one way to...):

exceed; outdo; outgo; outmatch; outperform; outstrip; surmount; surpass (be or do something to a greater degree)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

better (the superior one of two alternatives)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To make better

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate

Context example:

The editor improved the manuscript with his changes

Hypernyms (to "better" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

ameliorate; better; improve; meliorate (get better)

Verb group:

ameliorate; better; improve; meliorate (get better)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "better"):

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 (make perfect or complete)

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)

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

enhance (make better or more attractive)

iron out; put right; straighten out (settle or put right)

emend (make improvements or corrections to)

condition (put into a better state)

upgrade (to improve what was old or outdated)

help (improve; change for the better)

turn around (improve dramatically)

build up; develop (change the use of and make available or usable)

enrich (make better or improve in quality)

regenerate; revitalize (restore strength)

aid; help (improve the condition of)

alleviate; assuage; palliate; relieve (provide physical relief, as from pain)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Antonym:

worsen (make worse)

Derivation:

better (the superior one of two alternatives)

betterment (the act of relieving ills and changing for the better)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Get better

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

ameliorate; better; improve; meliorate

Context example:

The weather improved toward evening

Hypernyms (to "better" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Verb group:

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate (to make better)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "better"):

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)

convalesce; recover; recuperate (get over an illness or shock)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Antonym:

worsen (grow worse)

Derivation:

better (the superior one of two alternatives)

betterment (a change for the better; progress in development)

• BETTER (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Comparative of 'well'; in a better or more excellent manner or more advantageously or attractively or to a greater degree etc.

Context example:

better suited to the job

Sense 2

Meaning:

From a position of superiority or authority

Synonyms:

best; better

Context example:

I know better.

 Context examples 

Perhaps it would be better if I gave you an account of the whole situation when that work is finished.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Yet that is over now: Clerval writes that indeed you are getting better.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Anyhow it was my innings that time, and I don’t ever wish to feel better pleased.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Grossly, the better differentiated tumors consist of cystic masses, usually unilocular, containing a clear but sometimes viscous fluid.

(Ovarian Serous Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery.

(Ovarian Cancer, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray.

(Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, NCI Dictionary)

I nodded, for I thought it better to assent, though I did not quite understand his dialect.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A drug used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma that did not get better with other treatment.

(Adcetris, NCI Dictionary)

“You had better give it to me to take care of,” he said.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)