best 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of bestnext
as in Sunday

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Dissimilar Words

best

2 of 3

noun

1
as in attire
dressy clothing the family wore their best to the wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in elite
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class only the best will go on to the finals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

best

3 of 3

verb

as in to worst
to achieve a victory over at last she's bested her card-playing mother at the game of hearts

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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 best
Adjective
The duo won Oscars for best picture, director and original screenplay. — Katie Simons, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026 While it isn't favored to win best picture, it's been gaining momentum and could well pull off an upset. — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
The longer races are brutally hard, but Kerstin loves helping other runners pursue their personal bests. — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 In all, Enhanced said there were 14 personal bests set by 12 athletes, all of them swimmers and weightlifters. — Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
Verb
The Princess of Wales is known to play the sport and has even bested her husband at the sport in the past, according to Australian tennis star Rod Laver. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026 This was a record turnaround among SpaceX launches from Space Coast launch pads at 2 hours and 54 minutes besting October’s double launch that saw a Falcon 9 launch at CCSFS just eight hours, 42 minutes after a Falcon Heavy launch at KSC. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for best
Recent Examples of Synonyms for best
  1. stylish
  2. attire
  3. elite
  4. defeat
  5. elegant
  6. costume
  7. top
  8. overcome
Adjective
  • Now, there are various renditions of the utility sandals, including platform jelly styles and options with a stylish block heel.
    — Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026
  • Carry all of your summer stuff with stylish totes from Santa Barbara Design Studio.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of stylish
Noun
  • One concern was that many European venues lack air conditioning, and David worried that guests would be uncomfortable in black-tie attire.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Yeoh turned to Schiaparelli for her attire, clad in a classic black and white look with pops of gold throughout.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Definition of attire
Noun
  • At least a point was taken from every opponent barring Fulham in a campaign that offered no indication of the time Sunderland had spent away from English football’s elite.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • So how did a coach with such modest credentials elevate himself into the elite at such a late stage of his career?
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of elite
Verb
  • The defending men’s singles champion is Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, who defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the gold medal match in 2024; the defending women’s champion is China’s Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekić.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Drones alone cannot defeat the Russian army, and the culture of Silicon Valley cannot supplant the need for military discipline, Syrsky argued in a column for Militarnyi, a Ukrainian publication focused on defense.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Definition of defeat
Adjective
  • Her sleek, elegant mini slip dress, the epitome of a timeless LBD.
    — Ali Faccenda, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • This assortment features presentation boxes, gift sets with elegant teaware, a chest of single steeps and more.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Definition of elegant
Noun
  • When host Seth Meyers brought up the sky-high stilettos Evans wears in the show, the performer, 47, clarified that the shoes aren’t the hardest part of his costume.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • No matter the role, Zendaya has turned method dressing into an art form, consistently finding ways to nod to a character without veering into costume territory.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 23 July 2026
Definition of costume
Noun
  • That could be a bad sign for Everton Blair, the former Gwinnett County School Board chairman who needs a strong turnout from his home county in order to rise to the top of the five-person contest.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 24 July 2026
  • But most of those players were unable to establish themselves at the top of the game with Madrid or flourish within the national team’s style.
    — Pol Ballús, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of top
Verb
  • The team overcame significant injuries to finish 12-5 last season and win a playoff game as Shanahan finished fifth in voting for NFL Coach of the Year.
    — Josh Dubow, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
  • For example, while Messi may be today’s superstar, he was overcome by a coordinated system; so investing in the organization is critical.
    — Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of overcome

Phrases Containing best

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bespoken
best
best bib and tucker
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Cite this Entry

“Best.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/best. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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