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✨ Highest quality 🚀 Most excellently 💡 Most advisable 💪 Greatest effort 🏆 Top person 🥇 To defeat
to best

to best

105 4.2
To defeat someone in a contest or game
  • verb
  • /bɛst/
: superar
  • After months of training, she bested all her competitors in the annual race.
  • to best others

Examples

  • Unbelievably, the Knicks ran their undefeated record to 4-0 tonight, besting the Mavs at the Garden.

    Blog text (24)

  • You should have more respect for an opponent who has bested our men for so many years.

    Troy the Odyssey (2017)

  • I was just so excited to finally have bested the great Luke.

    New Material (2021)

  • I pass knowing that I was bested by the Chosen One.

    In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds (2011)

  • DEATH: I have bested you again.

    Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

  • And would you have bested me?

    Gladiator II (2024)

  • Without her help, he would not have bested the monster.

    Doctor Jekyll (2023)

  • Mother, I know when I have been bested, and so I will withdraw for a little time.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • It's no shame to be bested by veterans.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The first time I ever fought Priest Vallon, he bested me.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

to beat
vsto best
∞ 1.4

To defeat another person or team in a contest

is about defeating or getting the better in competitions
to get ahead
vsto best
109 3.4

Do better than others, for example at work or school

is specifically about defeating others in a contest, not only gaining position
to trump
vsto best
88 4.8

Beat someone by doing something better

is the simple act of getting the better without stressing the method
to beat out
vsto best
66 3.8

Defeat others in a contest to win a job or prize

is a general victory rather than a narrow speed advantage
to outdo
vsto best
62 3.8

Be better than someone at something

is focused on defeating or getting the better in contests
to outperform
vsto best
29 4.8

Do better than someone or something

is more about single contests and direct defeat rather than general results
to outplay
vsto best
14 4.2

Do better than and beat an opponent in a game

is broader, covering defeat in any contest rather than only game performance
to outflank
vsto best
7 7.0

To gain an advantage over someone by using clever or unexpected actions

is to defeat or do better without implying indirect or tactical moves
to beat (someone) at (their) own game
vsto best
  • Informal
5 5.3

To defeat someone by using their own methods

is general defeat in competition, not specifically using their tactics
to outclass
vsto best
4 4.6

To be much better than someone or something

is general defeat or doing better without implying a dramatic gap
to have the best of
vsto best
3 6.8

To be unable to control strong feelings or tiredness

is defeat achieved in contest terms rather than through circumstance
to outcompete
vsto best
1 6.1

To do better than someone or something and win

is general defeat in contests rather than specifically winning by competition
to get the best of
vsto best
1 4.6

To be overcome by something like tiredness, strong feelings, or problems

is general defeat in contests without implying external causes
to outrival
vsto best
1 7.9

Be better than someone or something in a competition

is about a single defeat or getting the better rather than ongoing rivalry
to beat off the competition
vsto best
1 6.2

To win against other teams or companies in a contest

is to win against others in competition, not just perform better
to outvie
vsto best
  • Archaic
9.9

To try to be better than someone in a contest or task

is about actual defeat rather than the effort to be better

Antonyms

to lose
∞ 1.0

Fail to win a game or contest

Idioms

one of the best
405 1.5

Among the top people or things in a group

at best
247 3.5

Only in the best case is the result not very good

best of all
82 2.1

The most important or pleasing thing

best of both worlds
  • Informal
18 3.4

A situation where you enjoy two different good things at the same time

to try our best
18 2.1

To make as much effort as you can to reach a goal

the best policy
11 3.1

To choose the most sensible action in a situation

level best
  • Informal
6 4.4

The most effort you can make

at the best of times
5 6.2

Even when things are at their best, something is still difficult or unpleasant

best of the bunch
  • Informal
4 3.0

The person or thing that is better than all others in a group

best deal in town
1 1.9

An offer with the lowest price or best value in the area

best pleased
1 1.7

Feeling very happy about something

as best one can
1 4.1

To do something as well as you can given the situation

nothing less than the best
1 4.2

Only top quality is acceptable

to put one's best foot forward
6.2

Make a very good impression when you meet someone or start something new

Phrasal Verbs

to make the best
77 3.4

Create something of the highest quality

to had best
  • Archaic
4 6.0

Should do something because it is a good idea

to have the best of
3 6.8

To be unable to control strong feelings or tiredness

to do one's best
1 2.5

To try as hard as you can to do something well

to get the best of
1 4.6

To be overcome by something like tiredness, strong feelings, or problems

to land the best seat
  • Informal
3.9

To get the best seat for a show or meal by arriving early

to give one's best
  • Informal
2.8

To try as hard as you can when doing something

to poach someone's best employee
7.1

To try to persuade a top employee from another company to work for you

Compounds

best friend
∞ 1.0

A person you trust most and talk to about everything

best man
137 2.4

A man who stands next to the groom and helps him at the wedding

best-known
123 1.9

Most people know it

best-selling
102 2.7

Very popular and bought by many people, like books or albums

best seller
85 2.1

A book or magazine that sells in very large numbers

best option
72 1.3

A choice that is most suitable among other choices

best bet
60 3.7

The choice that is most likely to succeed

best shot
  • Informal
59 3.2

A try using all your effort

second-best
48 3.7

Next in quality or rank after the best

best effort
43 2.4

A strong attempt someone makes to succeed at something

best practice
  • Specialized
40 3.1

A proven way of doing something that gives the best results

best wishes
36 1.0

A warm message wishing someone happiness and success

personal best
11 3.5

A person's best ever result in an activity or sport

best-kept secret
11 4.5

A place or thing only a few people know about that is especially good

best pal
  • Informal
11 1.0

A person who is your closest and most trusted friend

best route
9 2.0

The quickest or easiest way to travel from one place to another

best-laid plan
  • Informal
8 5.4

A careful plan that can still fail

second best
8 1.8

A person or team that finishes second in a competition

Sunday best
6 4.1

Clothes you wear for church or special events

best-loved
5 3.4

Liked more than other things of the same kind

best guy friend
  • Informal
1 3.2

A male friend you feel closest to without any romantic interest

best evidence rule
  • Formal
1 9.0

A rule that requires showing the original document, photo, or recording in court to prove its content

Best Korea
  • Slang
9.5

A joking or sarcastic name people use for North Korea online

best lobang
  • Philippine
9.9

A very good chance to buy something at a low price when shopping

goldarned best day
  • Archaic
9.9

A strong old-fashioned way to say the best day

How Decisive

to annihilate
  • NSFW
58 7.5
to crush
276 4.7
to best
105 4.2
to beat
∞ 1.4
edge
333 3.8

Surface Forms

best infinitive
besting present participle
bests third person singular
bested past
bested past participle

Etymology

Best as a verb comes from the same idea of being 'most good' and is related to better, so to best someone is to be better than them or to beat them.