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 figuratively
She knew she shouldn't open the package, but her curiosity finally got the better of her and she opened it.

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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 Houston’s defense, one of the best in the league, also got the better of Young and the Carolina offense in team drills. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2025 Both times, late Sunday struggles got the better of him, most recently a bogey on the 17th hole that cost him the lead and a spot in the playoff between J.J. Spaun and eventual winner Justin Rose. Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025 The Lions got the better of that Dolphins possession... C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for get the better of

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“Get the better of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20the%20better%20of. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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