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 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 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
  • Even if Kylian Mbappe clinched the Golden Boot in the third-place play-off against England and surpassed him as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, many of the other all-time records in this competition belong to Messi.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • The death toll since the beginning of the war has surpassed 3,500, and more than 27,000 have been wounded.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • Things slowly improved as drummers were encouraged at Arrowhead, but even a big turnout of 20,000 fans looked tiny in a stadium that could seat four times that number.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
  • Lathan is one of four returning starters for Kansas and there’s optimism the defense will be improved.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Opera Carolina saw a steep 67% decline in total revenue over a four-year period, and its liabilities exceeded its assets by nearly $4 million, according to its latest tax return.
    Catherine Muccigrosso July 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
  • This led to a state audit in 2018 that concluded the system took much longer to address complaints against faculty than staff, imposed inconsistent disciplinary action on repeat offenders, and often exceeded investigation timeframes.
    Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Routine bloodwork can be enhanced with biomarkers such as ApoB and hsCRP.
    Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • In the comic, twin brothers Sean and Chris learn their bodies have been enhanced by nanotechnology, thrusting them into a fight against the villain Deadalus within a futuristic world where nature and technology exist side by side.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • During the spring of 2024, De La Cruz was offered an extension that would’ve eclipsed Votto’s 10-year, $225-million deal as the largest in Reds history.
    C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Shares have managed to hold in their longer, neutral range and now have eclipsed their 50-month moving average.
    Jay Woods, CNBC, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Tanqueray gin, St-Germain, lime, mint and cucumber are topped with tonic.
    Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The flybridge also got an upgrade, and now offers a new bar and tables topped with mahogany.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 20 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bettered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bettered. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on bettered

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster