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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The former may be better suited defensively, especially with Fried pitching, but the Yankees need offense to get the better of Crochet.
—
Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
The Argentine will be looking to get the better of the Dutchman and secure what would be Atleti’s first ever win inside 90 minutes at Anfield.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Both teams’ punters boomed kicks, but the Chiefs got the better of the returns, with Nikko Remigio averaging 21 yards per attempt.
—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
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Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
The Argentine will be looking to get the better of the Dutchman and secure what would be Atleti’s first ever win inside 90 minutes at Anfield.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Both teams’ punters boomed kicks, but the Chiefs got the better of the returns, with Nikko Remigio averaging 21 yards per attempt.
—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
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 29 Sep. 2025.
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