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 Bucks owe a pick swap from the Holiday trade that was since traded to Atlanta, which means the Hawks get the better of their pick or the New Orleans Pelicans’ and the Bucks get the worse of the two.
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John Hollinger, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Tozawa got the better of Los Americanos and actually won the crowd over.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Yet after the 39-34 Georgia loss, Smart acknowledged that Golding and Ole Miss got the better of him.
—Connor Riley, AJC.com, 2 Jan. 2026
The Buckeyes got the better of the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, winning 27-9.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
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John Hollinger, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Tozawa got the better of Los Americanos and actually won the crowd over.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Yet after the 39-34 Georgia loss, Smart acknowledged that Golding and Ole Miss got the better of him.
—Connor Riley, AJC.com, 2 Jan. 2026
The Buckeyes got the better of the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, winning 27-9.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 7 Dec. 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 3 Feb. 2026.
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