bettered

past tense of better

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 Gogel rose 12 places with his 7-under 63, bettered only by Scotland's Stephen Gallacher in fifth with an 8-under 62, which included nine birdies. ABC News, 26 July 2026 The final standing of seventh has not been bettered since 1954-55. Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Defensively, France has also only conceded twice so far – a record bettered only by Spain which has let in one goal. Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 July 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bettered
Verb
  • Virgilijus’s Olympic record had stood for 20 years before his son and eventual 2024 Olympic gold medalist Roje Stona surpassed the mark in Paris.
    Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Alpha-Zero, as the system was called, surpassed human experts at chess, the Japanese chess variant Shogi, and the ancient strategy board game called Go.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Paul Taylor Sunderland Sunderland’s pre-season has gradually improved, as defeats to Liverpool and Leeds have given way to encouraging performances, and wins, against Wrexham and Lens.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Mike Salmon's health improved so much under hospice care that he got kicked out.
    Kim Clark, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • On his 2017 tax return, Krneta reported $321,000 in net income, even though his total income, which included about $4,000 derived from criminal activity, exceeded $400,000, the plea stated.
    Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Soil samples from the two elementary school campuses, City Terrace and Christopher Dena, exceeded the applicable regulatory screening levels of lead, which were flagged for further evaluation.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Abreu’s odds to hit a homer are also enhanced by playing in Toronto tonight.
    Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Davy enhanced Cassie’s lips using a big lip liner and added fake freckles, a reflection of TikTok and Instagram trends.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • With a length of almost 1,100 feet and displacing more than 100,000 tons, Nimitz-class carriers are among the world’s largest warships, eclipsed only by the US Navy’s Ford-class carriers, of which only one is in service to date.
    Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • From the perspective of our health systems, this work is nice-to-have but eclipsed by the gritty realities of clinical care.
    Kyle Vanelli, STAT, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The absentee and mail ballot numbers have already topped the highest nonpresidential primary year, with more than 200,000 people already having voted.
    Esme Murphy, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Bieber's carousel also included a video of herself working out at a gym and a photo in which she was seen holding a plate of meatballs topped with red sauce and cheese.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bettered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bettered. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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