at best

phrase

: under the most favorable circumstances

won't be finished for another three months at best

At best, you will earn back what you paid in.

He's an average writer at best.

… was among the worst schools in a city whose public education could be described as struggling, at best.

—Ann Carrns

Examples of at best in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As long as these two men lead their respective countries, the likelihood is that their summits will barely be able to manage the rivalry at best. — Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2026

This coming from a team that was projected, at best, 67 wins and another last-place finish during the preseason, per FanGraphs. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Organizations that adopt technology without understanding how that technology enables innovation will struggle, at best, or, more likely, fall behind competitors that move with greater intention. — Robbie Morrison, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Trump, meanwhile, will be at best a lame-duck president within weeks of the summit—or worse, if the Democrats are able to take back the House or the Senate. — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for at best

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed