1
as in attire
dressy clothing
the family wore their best to the wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in elite
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class
only the best will go on to the finals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to worst
to achieve a victory over
at last she's bested her card-playing mother at the game of hearts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of best
Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
The jovial actor can hardly nab a bite of the restaurant’s famous cheesy garlic bread without someone asking for a selfie or sharing well wishes for the movie, which is vying for a record-breaking 16 awards at the March 15 ceremony, including best picture.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
All these people in their Sunday best.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
Chandler Boese, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
New Mom School was named a Rising Star, besting fellow nominees Arms Cyber Defense and Ethos.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for best
Adjective
See who won best picture, which films took home the most Oscars and more.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
The jovial actor can hardly nab a bite of the restaurant’s famous cheesy garlic bread without someone asking for a selfie or sharing well wishes for the movie, which is vying for a record-breaking 16 awards at the March 15 ceremony, including best picture.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
But Pickens wants a long-term deal, and 2025 brought lots of career-bests for him in a contract year.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
All these people in their Sunday best.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Melanie Adkins bested Dana Arth for the District 3 seat (2,444 to 1,586).
—Chandler Boese, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
New Mom School was named a Rising Star, besting fellow nominees Arms Cyber Defense and Ethos.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for best
Recent Examples of Synonyms for best
Noun
-
Many of the college-age attendees donned Turning Point attire, Trump hats and red-white-and-blue paraphernalia for the event.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Also, consider banning visual displays by an attendee of anything other than the participant’s location – visual message displays, inappropriate background material, distracting behavior or inappropriate attire should not be permitted.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The former shared their hobby with Javanese aristocrats and other elites, and the latter collaborated with local artisans who supplied the materials to serve Indonesian customers.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Despite being an oil-producing country experiencing modest economic growth, young people say the benefits have not trickled down beyond the elites.—
Claudio Lavanga,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Quilted jackets are stylish, both lightweight and insulated, easy to layer, and conveniently packable, too.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This two-piece strikes the right balance between casual and stylish.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The images show women whose likenesses were edited by the AI chatbot to put them in more revealing clothing, such as towels, sports bras, skintight Spider-Woman outfits or bunny costumes.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The film follows iconic pop star Mother Mary (Hathaway), who reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer (Coel) right before her comeback performance.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Use a bag bungee Trying to balance a travel tote on top of a rolling suitcase is a disaster waiting to happen, especially when navigating crowded terminals.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This used to be Syed Murtaza Sadar’s home in Kabul, on top of the barber shop and public bath that was his family’s business.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Caroline Spadorcia went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI as Archbishop Williams (4-3) defeated Latin Academy, 6-3.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Hamadeh was elected to a reliably red West Valley district in 2024 after being defeated by Mayes in 2022.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This elegant opera house hosts numerous events, mostly opera and ballet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The smooth, fluid drape reads elegant, and the fabric has a soft silk sheen that holds up beautifully in a suitcase.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because the bravery and courage at the heart of the survivor was bruised but not defeated.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Staff Sergeant Gregory Foster was a Green Beret deployed to Afghanistan when he was injured in an ambush in 2011 and was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with valor for bravery.—
Shelley Bortz,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Best.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/best. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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