as in defeating
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 besting
The New York Yankees avoided a complete disaster this year by making the playoffs and besting the rival Boston Red Sox in the wild card round.
—
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
In the last five years, the toy company’s share price (BBW) has risen nearly 2,000% – besting even tech companies riding the AI boom like Palantir, Nvidia and Microsoft.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Their reward for besting the host twice in a row?
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
The set posts 200k in first-week units, not only besting even its Blurryface total from 2015, but also bettering the debut number from any other rock album yet this decade.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
During the marathon, the singer logged an impressive time of under three-and-a-half hours, besting more than 20,000 other runners.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
But the fund is up roughly 26% since the beginning of the year, besting the iShares’ ETF performance.
—Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
The drone also features a new 48-mm Med-Tele mode, which is a zoom feature besting what was previously available in the DJI's Mini Pro line.
—New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2025
The besting tasting iced tea is brewed with cold water.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
In the last five years, the toy company’s share price (BBW) has risen nearly 2,000% – besting even tech companies riding the AI boom like Palantir, Nvidia and Microsoft.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Their reward for besting the host twice in a row?
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
The set posts 200k in first-week units, not only besting even its Blurryface total from 2015, but also bettering the debut number from any other rock album yet this decade.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
During the marathon, the singer logged an impressive time of under three-and-a-half hours, besting more than 20,000 other runners.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
But the fund is up roughly 26% since the beginning of the year, besting the iShares’ ETF performance.
—Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
The drone also features a new 48-mm Med-Tele mode, which is a zoom feature besting what was previously available in the DJI's Mini Pro line.
—New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2025
The besting tasting iced tea is brewed with cold water.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besting
Verb
-
The Mariners reached this year’s ALCS off the back of the longest winner-takes-all playoff game in MLB history on Friday, dramatically defeating the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in a four-hour, 58-minute contest.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Alabama continued its rebound from a Week 1 loss by defeating Missouri.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The other notable incident of the first half was one person overcoming the tight security measures to reach the pitch.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Leaper Williams, a Lawrence High graduate who started working at KU at 16, emerged as one of KU football’s most recognizable employees through the years, overcoming a development impairment due to anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain, at birth.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The pieces are chunky enough for toddler hands, which are still mastering dexterity, to handle with ease.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The satisfaction is in mastering it.—
Iain Macauley,
Robb Report,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Oh, 6-0 Georgia Tech’s right on the cusp of the bracket (after beating 2-5 Virginia Tech 35-20)?—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
With a make on the second, Duke won by five, miraculously beating the spread of 4 1/2, per Andrew’s telling.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
With a swath of apps taking betting from the casino to one’s pocket, the industry has captured the interest of Gen Z, who saw a 7% year-over-year increase in online sports betting activity as of 2025’s second quarter, TransUnion found in a report released last month.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez have been fantastic all season long and give Seattle two stars that are capable of taking them all the way.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
These terrorists are going about on a jihad and conquering territories and renaming them accordingly.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Combs was not content with simply conquering the entertainment industry.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Panthers handled the test with ease, dispatching the Ottawa Senators 6-2 at Amerant Bank Arena to sweep their three-game homestand.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Spokesperson Chris Cannon said the agency responded promptly after being alerted by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, dispatching an investigator and the assistant commissioner to the scene.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Besting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besting. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share