What does “better” mean?
- 1
adjectiveof a higher standard or more suitable than something else
Your new phone is better than mine.
- 2
adjectiveless ill than before
I feel much better today.
- 3
modal verbhad better: should, as advice or a warning
You’d better leave now or you’ll miss the bus.
Better at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective & modal verb
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈbɛtər/ · BET-er
How to use “better” correctly
Say “much better”, not “more better”. “Had better” is followed by a base verb: “You’d better call her.”
Common phrases with “better”
- much better
- get better
- had better
- better off
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- worse
Idioms with “better”
- Better late than never: It is better to do something late than not to do it at all.
- Better safe than sorry: It is wiser to be careful now than to risk a problem later.
“better” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- best adjectiveA1better than all others
- big adjectiveA1large in size or amount
- different adjectiveA1not the same as another person or thing
- first adjectiveA1coming before all others in time, order or importance
- free adjectiveA1costing no money
- full adjectiveA1holding as much or as many as possible
- great adjectiveA1very good or enjoyable
- high adjectiveA1a long way from the bottom to the top, or far above the ground