for the better
idiom
: so as to produce improvement
The new policy is a change for the better.
My father's health has recently taken a turn for the better.
Examples of for the better in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
None is as provocative as the one that Mary Jo Bang, a poet, has been working on for the better part of two decades.
—
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
The ballpark’s retractable roof was closed and the air conditioning was on full blast for the better park of two weeks while the ice was created.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Parents have also observed that playing video games can actually change a child’s behavior long after the game has been switched off—and not for the better.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
Nick’s life changed after Sochi, and not for the better.
—Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2025
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Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
The ballpark’s retractable roof was closed and the air conditioning was on full blast for the better park of two weeks while the ice was created.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Parents have also observed that playing video games can actually change a child’s behavior long after the game has been switched off—and not for the better.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
Nick’s life changed after Sochi, and not for the better.
—Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for the better
Cite this Entry
“For the better.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20the%20better. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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