as in defeated
to achieve a victory over
at last she's bested her card-playing mother at the game of hearts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bested
On Saturday, Fitzpatrick (14-under) shot a 7-under 64— a third-round score only bested by fellow Wake Forest alum Cameron Young (8-under) — and heads into Sunday with a one-shot lead over Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan (13-under) and a two-shot advantage over Young (12-under).
—
Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
The two started the first two games of the series, where the Royals bested the Guardians.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
For craft and talent, Paul Simon is, in my opinion, the finest popular songwriter in the second half of that century and is yet to be bested in the 21st.
—Time, 6 May 2026
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
While Minogue was expected to prevail at the convention, the successful CEO, West Point graduate and decorated Iraq War combat veteran bested fellow candidates Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve by winning an overwhelming 70% of the vote.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
After 31 straight games and winning $882,605 in prize money, the New Jersey native and Princeton grad was bested by Greg Shahade on the Monday, April 27, episode.
—Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
The Hawks have bested the Knicks in that aspect thus far.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Matt Fitzpatrick bested Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the RBC Heritage over the weekend in what became a road game for him.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
The two started the first two games of the series, where the Royals bested the Guardians.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
For craft and talent, Paul Simon is, in my opinion, the finest popular songwriter in the second half of that century and is yet to be bested in the 21st.
—Time, 6 May 2026
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
While Minogue was expected to prevail at the convention, the successful CEO, West Point graduate and decorated Iraq War combat veteran bested fellow candidates Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve by winning an overwhelming 70% of the vote.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
After 31 straight games and winning $882,605 in prize money, the New Jersey native and Princeton grad was bested by Greg Shahade on the Monday, April 27, episode.
—Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
The Hawks have bested the Knicks in that aspect thus far.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Matt Fitzpatrick bested Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the RBC Heritage over the weekend in what became a road game for him.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bested
Verb
-
McGregor first fought at welterweight in 2016 in a shocking loss to Diaz, then defeated Diaz later that year, again in the 170-pound division.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
True North Classical Academy defeated SLAM (Tampa) in five sets in the 1A state final.—
Alex Kushel,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
How to Sort Laundry Effectively There are only three steps required to sort laundry effectively and they can be mastered by almost everyone.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
Over 10 years, Cheng mastered techniques not only for new construction but also for small-scale traditional buildings in a folk style.—
Erin Tan,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Woad overcame a double bogey on the par-4 sixth.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
-
That alone is an achievement, but for Porter, a single mother of 11 who overcame hearing loss along the way, the accomplishment meant even more.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
In March, Israel dropped charges against five soldiers who had been accused of beating and sodomizing a Palestinian detainee in an alleged assault partially caught on camera.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Mike Yastrzemski drove in three, including two on his first homer of the season as part of a four-run fifth, and the Braves beat the Cubs 5-2 in the opener of a three-game series at Truist Park.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Longoria took a more casual approach with her look, but the crisp shade made the outfit appear put-together.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
The controversy also took a turn after the discovery of a March 2026 interview with outlet El Nuevo Día in which Díaz openly discussed his family’s involvement in the underground circuit.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
In addition to starring in General Hospital and The 13th Alley, Lamas’ eldest daughter has conquered the reality space.—
Ilana Frost,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
Ted Turner, the charismatic, larger-than-life figure who conquered the world of media, sports and philanthropy, has died, according to a release by Turner Enterprises obtained by CNN.—
Tim Gray,
Variety,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
White Sox fans got the last laugh on Sunday afternoon as their squad completed a wild, thrilling comeback victory over their crosstown rivals.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Maddie Eisler, a Manhattan Pilates instructor, was trying to explain why Shaggy got the shakes.—
Natalie Meade,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Evans had already dispatched Tampa Jesuit 6-0 in the first of two spring games at Bryant Stadium.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
-
Barthel knows people who have had to wait two to three days on the side of the road before a proper tow rig could be dispatched.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bested. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
