1
as in surpassed
to be greater, better, or stronger than
this year's profits should better last year's by a wide margin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in improved
to make better
social workers and reformers trying to better the lives of inner-city residents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 bettered
In 2014, Messi began with that famously outrageous winner against Bosnia, arguably bettered it against Iran a few days later, with a splendid winner in stoppage time.
—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
The Flames have bettered their conference finish every season since joining in 2023, winning both the regular-season and tournament titles this year.
—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Her 13th place there is unlikely to be bettered at the real thing.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Rare is the Broadway season that hasn’t been bettered by an August Wilson revival, and this very busy spring is no exception.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Yeboah bettered that in the 67th minute, taking advantage of another defensive breakdown to poke a pass from Tomás Chancalay at the left post past Marcinkowski.
—
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
The Flames have bettered their conference finish every season since joining in 2023, winning both the regular-season and tournament titles this year.
—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Her 13th place there is unlikely to be bettered at the real thing.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Rare is the Broadway season that hasn’t been bettered by an August Wilson revival, and this very busy spring is no exception.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Yeboah bettered that in the 67th minute, taking advantage of another defensive breakdown to poke a pass from Tomás Chancalay at the left post past Marcinkowski.
—
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bettered
Verb
-
The search has now surpassed the first 72 hours –– the most critical window for finding survivors.
-
But, in the decades that followed, other cities caught up and eventually surpassed New York; one of them was Ibiza, where clubs like Pacha showed vacationing Europeans how to rave all night.
Verb
-
The technology for delivery coordination improved.
-
Accuracy, design, and comfort have improved with each generation.
Verb
-
The county did not clarify if the mixing zone had been exceeded.
-
Spending in California has generally exceeded revenue growth during Newsom’s tenure in the governor’s office, creating a chronic shortfall.
Verb
-
It isn't intended to be enhanced by treating the inmate with hostility and cruelty.
-
Others, already on the flight home, leave with their reputations enhanced, their followers multiplied and their place in World Cup folklore secure.
Verb
-
The North Korean naval fleet has long been eclipsed by South Korean and United States naval forces, which field modern warships and submarines with sophisticated electronics and powerful missile launch capabilities.
-
Among tight ends, that’s an annual average eclipsed only by San Francisco’s George Kittle and Arizona’s Trey McBride.
Verb
-
Fans sang the 1971 anthem in unison after the USMNT topped Australia 2-0, perhaps becoming a new tradition for soccer fans.
-
So do savings accounts, CDs and gold, the asset classes that topped the Gallup poll at times in the Great Recession era.
Cite this Entry
“Bettered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bettered. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
