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better-off

adjective

Definition of better-offnext
as in successful

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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 better-off After all, these programs helped to create the class of better-off retirees who fund the group today. — Samuel Moyn, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026 Lower earners historically see higher rates of inflation than their better-off counterparts, said Morgan Stanley economist Heather Berger. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026 Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson housing projects were built and black folks settled in, dreaming of moving in with their better-off cousins who lived near Lenox Avenue. — Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026 When New York boldly expanded free preschool a decade ago, classroom quality climbed mostly in better-off neighborhoods, failing to lift poor children. — Bruce Fuller, Oc Register, 27 Dec. 2025 The pumpkin would most likely have been stewed, possibly with meat, but pies reflected British heritage and were a common staple in better-off households. — Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 Japan was in a deep recession, but Uniqlo kept growing, offering bargains for the struggling masses and discretion for better-off consumers in an era that frowned upon conspicuous consumption. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025 Poorer school districts could also struggle to access the latest AI technology, widening the gap with areas that are better-off, Robin Lake, director of Arizona State University’s Center on Reinventing Public Education, told CNN. — Nic F. Anderson, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025 In the 1870s, workers and domestic servants were still living close to their employers in back alleys and compounds behind the homes of the better-off. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better-off
  1. successful
  2. affluent
  3. wealthy
  4. propertied
  5. prosperous
  6. well-to-do
  7. comfortable
  8. substantial
Adjective
  • At the same time, the Houthis claimed a successful attack on a Saudi air base, following an attack last week on a Saudi oil pipeline.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Both companies remain fully committed to the successful releases of Ray Gunn and the untitled Jack and the Beanstalk project on Netflix, and additionally will continue their longstanding content licensing relationship.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of successful
Adjective
  • Redwood’s affluent clients are prioritizing the comfort that fall offers, both through lower temperatures and fewer crowds.
    — Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to settle in the Cotswolds, an affluent countryside region in south-central England, located about two hours outside London.
    — Ashley Hume , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of affluent
Adjective
  • Around the halfway point of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Petya Trofimov — eternal grad student, moral purist, and former tutor to the once wealthy family whose diminution sits at the heart of the play — makes a speech.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • When a wealthy, royal woman is attacked by bandits, the two men save her and are welcomed to the castle as valiant knights.
    — Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of wealthy
Adjective
  • Those writing the new constitution determined that men of substance, the wealthy, could be counted on to vote for men of good character who would end the chaos in the country and protect the interests of the propertied classes.
    — Christine Adams / Made by History, TIME, 16 Sep. 2024
  • Edward Gibbon, who was ultimately elected to the UK Parliament, was born into a propertied English family that had lost most of its fortune in the South Sea Bubble of the 1720s but later regained it.
    — BYWill Daniel, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023
Definition of propertied
Adjective
  • The country is almost certainly dirtier, poorer, less prosperous, and in some ways less safe than in 2024.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
  • He was haunted by Switzerland’s position of neutrality during the fight against the Nazis, and he was troubled by the accommodations his prosperous countrymen were willing to make after the war to maintain their comfortable detachment.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of prosperous
Adjective
  • Moreover, in the early 20th century, many people (especially more well-to-do families) became accustomed to departing inland towns and cities for the summer months to a more summery locale on the coast or at a lake.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026
  • But by rooting her tale in Maya’s family ties, the writer-director explores the complicity of well-to-do South Asian diasporas, and the foundations that afford them the luxury of emigrating in the first place.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of well-to-do
Adjective
  • The rooms are compact but comfortable, and each floor features a different art exhibit.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
  • While there is a spooky atmosphere and discomforting imagery throughout, the relationship between the three main characters is central — something Curcio and his co-writer (and wife) Kirby Gladstein were comfortable taking a chance on.
    — William Earl, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of comfortable
Adjective
  • Buffett made substantial charitable donations during his lifetime.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Census data show a large majority of the city’s population is foreign-born, with Venezuelans making up a substantial portion of Doral residents.
    — Ivan Taylor, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of substantial

Browse Nearby Words

betterments
better-off
betters
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Cite this Entry

“Better-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better-off. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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