get the better of
idiom
: to defeat or trick (someone) by being clever
It would be hard to get the better of someone as experienced as she is.
—often used figurativelyShe knew she shouldn't open the package, but her curiosity finally got the better of her and she opened it.
Examples of get the better of in a Sentence
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Both teams’ punters boomed kicks, but the Chiefs got the better of the returns, with Nikko Remigio averaging 21 yards per attempt.
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Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Mephistopheles, dispatched by the Devil to serve Faustus, can’t help getting the better of his mortal master, like an infernal Jeeves—or, more to the point, like a handler in the intelligence racket, running an anxious agent in the field.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
And Stanford's interim chief has an even greater task on his hands in getting the better of a BYU outfit that was partly responsible for one of his predecessors losing their job.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Perhaps most concerningly for her fans, Sabalenka – never one to shy away from being vocal on the court – has occasionally let her emotions get the better of her, particularly at Roland Garros.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
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Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Mephistopheles, dispatched by the Devil to serve Faustus, can’t help getting the better of his mortal master, like an infernal Jeeves—or, more to the point, like a handler in the intelligence racket, running an anxious agent in the field.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
And Stanford's interim chief has an even greater task on his hands in getting the better of a BYU outfit that was partly responsible for one of his predecessors losing their job.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Perhaps most concerningly for her fans, Sabalenka – never one to shy away from being vocal on the court – has occasionally let her emotions get the better of her, particularly at Roland Garros.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get the better of
Cite this Entry
“Get the better of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20the%20better%20of. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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