best

1 of 5

adjective

superlative of good

1
: excelling all others
the best student in the class
2
: most productive of good : offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility, or satisfaction
What is the best thing to do?
3
: most, largest
It rained for the best part of their vacation.

best

2 of 5

adverb

superlative of well

1
: in the best (see best entry 1) way : to greatest advantage
Some things are best left unsaid.
2
: most
Those best able will provide needed support.

best

3 of 5

noun

plural best
1
: the best (see best entry 1) state or part
You haven't heard the best of it.
2
: one that is best
the best falls short
saved the best for last
3
: the greatest degree of good or excellence
He's at his best in front of a live audience.
democracy at its best
4
a
: one's maximum effort
do your best
b
: a best performance or achievement
ran a new personal best
5
: best clothes
wearing their Sunday best

best

4 of 5

verb

bested; besting; bests

transitive verb

: to get the better of : outdo
bested by their opponents

best

5 of 5

auxiliary verb

: had best (see best entry 2 sense 1)
you best listen
Phrases
as best
: as well, skillfully, or accurately as
Try to do it as best you can.
at best
: 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
get the best of
: to overcome or outdo (someone or something) : to get the better of
The hero got the best of the villain in the end.
I let my emotions get the best of me and said something I regret.
Let's face it: As much as we like to eat healthy, the old sweet tooth sometimes gets the best of us.Denise I. O'Neal

Examples of best in a Sentence

Adjective You should wear your best clothes tonight. We ate the best food and drank the best wines. His modesty and sense of humor are his best qualities. Is that your best offer? Which of these do you think tastes best? Mary sends you her very best wishes. She's the best student in her class. He won the award for best actor in a drama. She truly believes that this is the best way to solve the problem. She's the team's best hope for a medal. Adverb The sauce is best served cold. They work best under pressure. That's what we do best! We need to think about how best to fix this problem. The work should be done by the people who are best able to do it. She's best suited to life in the city. He is best known for his invention of the light bulb. The museum features some of the best-known examples of this style of painting. Noun Out of all of my workers, he's the best. Our company is the best in the business. Thanks, Dad. You're the best! I have one more gift for you, and I saved the best for last. Bad things happen to the best of us. They want the best for their children. Even in the best of times, we had trouble paying our bills. In the best of all possible worlds, no one would be without food and clean water. I have a wonderful family and a great job, so I feel that I have the best of both worlds. He did his best to help them. Verb at last she's bested her card-playing mother at the game of hearts
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But his lifelong best friend will be with him back in the Dallas area. Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 6 Feb. 2023 Bring your family, mom, best friend or significant other to one of two time slots, 4 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14. Laura Groch feb. 5, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2023 In a 1990 Gallup poll, 75% of respondents reported having a best friend. Trey Williams, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2023 But this past week in Boston has been one of the best of his career. Will Lee For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023 He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Goncalves and her best friend Maddie Mogen, both 21, along with Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, also 20. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2023 My best friend Vicky solved this by taking lots of pictures mere centimeters from his face, flash on, in case the police needed them for evidence. Annie Lord, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2023 For all of her dress’s drama, Brunson—who took home the award for best actress in a television series, musical or comedy, for her work on Abbott Elementary—favors levity, both onscreen and behind the scenes. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 11 Jan. 2023
Adverb
Cruise ships are perhaps best known for amenities like buffets and swimming pools, but their medical facilities also have the capability to treat a wide range of illnesses and injuries, from common colds to heart attacks. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023 The new Virginia Tech campus also promises to transform Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood, best known now as the site of a large strip mall. Teo Armus, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The great 1906 earthquake, best known for destroying much of San Francisco, also triggered quakes much farther away on the same day, said seismologist Lucy Jones, a research associate at Caltech. Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2023 Desalu Naturals is a skincare brand with ingredients sourced from around Africa, and is best known for its oils and body butters. Terri Huggins Hart, Woman's Day, 7 Feb. 2023 Prior to Squid Game, O was best known as a prominent stage actor who had appeared in acclaimed local adaptations of plays like King Lear and Faust. Soo-Mee Park, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2023 The university did not acquire the academy's debt, leaving that in the lap of Jones, its prominent founder and entrepreneur best known for developing technology that revolutionized voicemail. Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Feb. 2023 Thule is best known for its car top carriers, but the brand brings its knack for sturdy cargo storage to this duffel bag as well. Chris Abell, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2023 Wright is best known for being a stand-up comedian, having previously appeared on Adam Devine's House Party and Laughs. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 6 Feb. 2023
Noun
But he’s been a contributor each of the past two years, including career bests in the Ravens’ last two meaningful games. Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2024 Ohio girls bowler: Ali Bell, Eastern – The sophomore shot games of 268 and 245 in a win over Whiteoak Jan. 11, setting personal bests for high game and series (513) and breaking her own school record for high game. Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 20 Jan. 2024 In throwing for 309 yards and two TDs vs. the Saints, Mayfield established new career single-season bests for passing yards (3,907) and touchdown passes (28). Fred Goodall, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2024 And when she's not dressed in sweats or her game-day best, Brittany loves to dress up for girls' nights out with Swift. Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 28 Jan. 2024 These are just unpleasant messes for all involved and don't let the teams compete near their respective bests. Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2024 Durham Smythe had career bests in receptions (35) and yards (366). Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2024 This season, Jackson posted career bests in completions (307), completion percentage (.672) and passing yards (3,678) while also rushing for a team-high 821 yards. Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2024 In a new national Morning Consult poll of the 2024 election, Biden bests Trump by only 1 point, 43% to 42%. Julia Johnson, Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2024
Verb
His grounder rate bested both Lopez and Wheeler at 55.1%. Tony Blengino, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The victory adds to the former president's delegate lead in his pursuit of the 2024 Republican presidential nomination after besting her in previous primaries and caucuses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 The left-leaning lawmaker has been reelected twice since taking office in 2015, most recently besting two challengers in the 2022 Democratic primary with nearly 50 percent of the vote. Michael Brice-Saddler, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024 And Paramore bested Foo Fighters, Metallica, Paramore, and Queens of the Stone Age for Best Rock Album. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 4 Feb. 2024 Cosgrove and Hoke are the snow savants who have finally bested the unpredictable weather patterns here by strategically positioning their base in the middle of five separate mountain ranges, almost guaranteeing the Third Edge team can place clients in optimal conditions each day. Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2024 While the moment marked Sam's 400th episode of the show, the milestone was bested by spending time on set with Elisabeth. Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 Trump bested Haley among most key demographic groups. Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2024 Denver Broncos, 1997, 1998, Super Bowls XXXII, XXXIII: In the final two seasons of his career, John Elway won his first Super Bowl, beating the Green Bay Packers, and then won another by besting the Atlanta Falcons. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'best.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English best, beste, going back to Old English betst, best, (as weak adjective) betsta, betesta, going back to Germanic *batista-, superlative degree of the adjective seen in the comparative *batizōn better entry 1, whence also Old Frisian best, bēst "best," Old Saxon betst, best, Old High German bezzisto, Old Icelandic beztr, baztr, Gothic batista

Adverb

Middle English, going back to Old English betst, betest, derivative of betst, best best entry 1

Noun

Middle English, going back to Old English betste, derivative of betst, best best entry 1

Verb

derivative of best entry 1, after better entry 2

Auxiliary verb

by ellipsis from had best

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1863, in the meaning defined above

Auxiliary Verb

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of best was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near best

Cite this Entry

“Best.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/best. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

best

1 of 4 adjective

superlative of good

1
: better than all others
my best friend
2
: good or useful in the highest degree : most excellent
the best movie I ever saw
3
: most entry 3, largest
it rained for the best part of a week

best

2 of 4 adverb

superlative of well

1
: in the best way : to the greatest advantage
some things are best left unsaid
2
: to the highest degree : most
best able to do the work

best

3 of 4 noun
plural best
1
: the best state or part
the best is yet to come
2
: one that is best
even the best lose once in a while
3
a
: one's greatest effort
do your best
b
: best performance or achievement
ran a new personal best
4
: best clothes
put on your Sunday best

best

4 of 4 verb
: to get the better of : outdo
bested us in every event

Biographical Definition

Best

biographical name

Charles Herbert 1899–1978 Canadian (American-born) physiologist

More from Merriam-Webster on best

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!