bests

verb

present tense third-person singular of best
as in masters
to achieve a victory over at last she's bested her card-playing mother at the game of hearts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 bests There’s also a vast array of facilities, including a screening room, a private nightclub, and a spa level that bests many hotels. — Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 19 June 2026 On Wednesday, Variety projected that Backrooms is projected to open with anywhere from $40 million to $50 million in North American ticket sales this weekend, which easily bests the record opening of A24’s Civil War, which earned $25 million in its first Friday to Sunday frame in 2024. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 His performance for shareholders now bests JPMorgan, Visa, and the S&P 500. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 May 2026 There’s no perfect style of pizza that bests the rest. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Prior to last season, his career bests in starts for a season was two with Dallas in 2022. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026 The towers are also able to reach a capacity factor of about 32%, which bests that of flat panels, which come in around 22%. — New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025 And China now bests the United States in 57 out of 64 critical and emerging technologies, per a 2024 study. — Mircea Geoană, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025 The new figure, which bests Monday’s $605 million jackpot, is already the 13th largest prize in the history of Powerball. — Gordon Ebanks, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bests
  1. masters
  2. defeats
  3. overcomes
  4. beats
  5. takes
  6. conquers
  7. gets
  8. dispatches
Verb
  • The industry is in the middle of a transition from copper interconnects to optical solutions, and the company that masters low-latency, high-bandwidth data movement holds a structural advantage.
    — Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Finally, Kim masters the steps and takes to the stage with confidence, as her family cheers her on!
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
Definition of masters
Verb
  • The cocktail also remained effective against viral variants known to evade single-antibody treatments, demonstrating that combining two antibodies can overcome resistance that defeats either one alone.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Brazil defeats Japan in the final minute, 2-1 Brazil is through to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after a last-minute goal broke Japanese hearts in Houston in the first game of the day.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Definition of defeats
Verb
  • By using acoustic detection and ranging (ADAR) technology, the sensor overcomes the blind spots and height limitations of conventional 2D safety systems.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
  • And then there’s Kaitlyn Chen, the second-year point guard who overcomes some of her athletic deficiencies by picking up 94 feet and always seemingly knows where to be.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 29 June 2026
Definition of overcomes
Verb
  • This leads to another unfortunate confrontation with a Bowden parent, as Tom drags Cady into the street and beats him up in full view of lookie-loos with phone cameras.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • The uncomfortable fact is that distribution beats algorithms, because algorithms are replicable and reach isn't.
    — Harshil Shah, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of beats
Verb
  • The show centered on a single dad and former pro baseball player (Tony Danza) who takes a job as a live-in housekeeper for a powerful ad executive named Angela (Judith Light).
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
  • The channel already has Sunday evening live streams where Gervais takes audience questions.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 6 July 2026
Definition of takes
Verb
  • Just one week after one powerhouse tied the other, that match has been broken as Swift once again conquers the tally.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • That doesn’t mean robbing Billy of his shot at prying open Homelander’s skull, but with only a symbolic solution to Trump’s authoritarian rise — love conquers all!
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
Definition of conquers
Verb
  • Sugar gets the coordinates from Danny and arrives minutes before Vega and his gang, just in time to catch Ji in the throes of an overdose.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • Played by the talented Halle Bailey, young mermaid Ariel yearns to be on land, has the hots for Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) – who at least gets a character arc this time – and agrees to a bad deal with witchy Ursula (Melissa McCarthy).
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of gets
Verb
  • Tax season is busy, but the IRS dispatches extra agents to answer calls in the weeks leading up to April 15.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 27 June 2026
  • Robin quickly and viscerally dispatches his foe, before going up against a larger swath of enemies who are targeting his former partner-in-banditry Little John (played by Bill Skarsgård).
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
Definition of dispatches

Browse Nearby Words

bestrode
bests
bet
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Cite this Entry

“Bests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bests. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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