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
Recent Examples on the Web
Adrenaline got the better of my shaky hands.
—
Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Trump is miffed that Xi Jinping’s Communist Party got the better of him in his first administration from 2017 to 2021.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
However, both of their endeavors suffer when their hearts get the better of their brains.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2025
That was the last time La Maison Jaune managed to get the better of PSG home or away, losing five of their seven encounters since then.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get the better of
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Trump is miffed that Xi Jinping’s Communist Party got the better of him in his first administration from 2017 to 2021.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
However, both of their endeavors suffer when their hearts get the better of their brains.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2025
That was the last time La Maison Jaune managed to get the better of PSG home or away, losing five of their seven encounters since then.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share