How to Use best in a Sentence

best

1 of 4 adjective
  • We ate the best food and drank the best wines.
  • She's the team's best hope for a medal.
  • Which of these do you think tastes best?
  • She's the best student in her class.
  • You should wear your best clothes tonight.
  • He won the award for best actor in a drama.
  • She truly believes that this is the best way to solve the problem.
  • Is that your best offer?
  • Mary sends you her very best wishes.
  • His modesty and sense of humor are his best qualities.
  • That is the easy way and may work the best for most households.
    — John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 29 Oct. 2022
  • The best way is to forgive them, not for their sake, but for your own.
    — Annie Lane, cleveland, 27 Dec. 2022
  • Kendricks did his best to clear the fence, but a fan grabbed him by the seat of his pants.
    — Jessica Geltstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2022
  • Time in the gym helps, but the best way to train for chopping wood is to chop wood.
    — Reid Forgrave, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2022
  • Maybe the best way to recognize that is to leave them intact.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Sep. 2022
  • See who won best picture, which films took home the most Oscars and more.
    — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Her husband left work to go with Booker’s best friend on a boat to join the search.
    — Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Sep. 2022
  • Jury has been one of the best quarterbacks in the state this season.
    — Theo MacKie, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2022
  • Doing things in order is likely the best way forward right now.
    — Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2022
  • Of course, the best way to deal with an older iPhone is to upgrade the hardware.
    — Maren Estrada, BGR, 26 Dec. 2022
  • Groundcovers and low-growing plants are best in beds along one or both sides of the driveway.
    — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2023
  • Texting will reach the kids, but emails or even a phone call might be best for older relatives.
    — Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022
  • And also, like, our relationship still wasn't in the best place.
    — Glenn Garner, PEOPLE.com, 11 July 2022
  • There’s no surefire blueprint, and it’s not always tied to what wins best picture.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Celtics were at their best for about 2½ quarters Wednesday.
    — Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Dec. 2022
  • Google Calendar has tools to prevent spam, but a new one rolling out this month might be the best yet.
    — Jacob Siegal, BGR, 21 July 2022
  • Whether your end goal is sliced, cubed, or puréed mango, the best way to cut a mango is to start by looking at its shape.
    — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2022
  • Go to the richest quadrant of a major city and do your best to get run over by a Tesla.
    — Meghana Indurti, The New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2022
  • In the primary wing, the designers did their best to make the bathroom feel warm and lived-in.
    — Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 1 Dec. 2022
  • Garrett’s non-response came after four years of ups and downs between the two that didn’t end on the best of notes.
    — Tim Bielik, cleveland, 11 Sep. 2022

best

2 of 4 adverb
  • The sauce is best served cold.
  • She's best suited to life in the city.
  • That's what we do best!
  • The work should be done by the people who are best able to do it.
  • We need to think about how best to fix this problem.
  • He is best known for his invention of the light bulb.
  • The museum features some of the best-known examples of this style of painting.
  • They work best under pressure.
  • Not sure what kind of clipper or grinder will work best on your dog?
    — Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 8 Sep. 2022
  • Play around and see what works best for your body and spinal mechanics.
    — Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 5 Aug. 2022
  • From that point on, his claim to be the nation’s best had begun.
    — Stephen Means, cleveland, 16 Dec. 2022
  • Compare the two costs to determine which one works best for you.
    — Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 10 Nov. 2022
  • The rear row is spacious enough for adults but is best suited for children.
    — Michael Harley, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022
  • Keep in mind the tea infuser works best with larger, whole tea leaves.
    — Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2022
  • The pageantry of the unique venue, Herro said, is best left to others.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Dec. 2022
  • Be sure to check out the full list of Amazon’s best-selling dog toys here.
    — Josie Howell | [email protected], al, 26 Aug. 2022
  • These pants are best suited to cut the chill on days that don’t require heavy base layers.
    — Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 16 Dec. 2022
  • Colorado blades work best with a slower troll, such as under 2 miles per hour.
    — D'arcy Egan, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022
  • The other two would be best served by playing, either here or elsewhere.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Sep. 2022
  • As usual, some eccentrics liked the smelly feet cheese best, or the garlicky dimethyl disulfide.
    — Abigail Tucker, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Sep. 2022
  • House of Cards actress Kate Mara has one of the best bright and beachy reds to date.
    — ELLE, 16 Dec. 2022
  • For weeks, the show’s producers had been debating which celebrity would best work for the role.
    — Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Sep. 2022
  • The study found that hotspot policing works best when police treat people with respect and treat them fairly.
    — Josiah Bates, Time, 2 Nov. 2022
  • This works best for instruments like the trombone or the clarinet, where most of the air escapes through the bell.
    — Calli McMurray, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2022
  • By itself the cologne is somewhat casual and best suited for days at the office or out with friends.
    — Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Dec. 2022
  • Perhaps this evening is best suited to the rising generations that will be called on to take up the fight.
    — Peter Marks, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2022
  • Carell plays Alan Strauss, a well-to-do therapist who wrote a best-selling self-help book.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2022
  • This squeegee-like tool has a handle that can be extended from 3 to 5 feet, depending on what height works best for you.
    — Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 13 June 2023
  • In order to avoid breakouts or dryness, be sure to look into the type of skin that each drops work best with in order to find your perfect fit.
    — Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022
  • The team that runs the ball best has dominated this series, winning 20 of the past 21 times.
    — Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 23 Nov. 2022

best

3 of 4 noun
  • He did his best to help them.
  • Bad things happen to the best of us.
  • Out of all of my workers, he's the best.
  • They want the best for their children.
  • Our company is the best in the business.
  • Even in the best of times, we had trouble paying our bills.
  • I have one more gift for you, and I saved the best for last.
  • In the best of all possible worlds, no one would be without food and clean water.
  • Thanks, Dad. You're the best!
  • I have a wonderful family and a great job, so I feel that I have the best of both worlds.
  • Feel free to share your bests and worsts of the fest in the comment section.
    — Michael Rietmulder, The Seattle Times, 3 Sep. 2018
  • The Canadians are the best in best-on-best.
    — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
  • All these people in their Sunday best.
    — Will Croxton, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Gorze’s name is now listed among some of Oregon’s all-time bests.
    — Nikstreng, oregonlive, 13 Mar. 2023
  • In all, section yearly bests were recorded in five boys and nine girls events.
    — Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023
  • The whole experience with the best-on-best.
    — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Pendergraft said the day rated very highly on her list of bests.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 10 June 2023
  • Toothman scored the meet off regional bests and had Avon ahead by two points.
    — David Woods, Indianapolis Star, 2 June 2018
  • Well, to win gold and finally beat Canada in a best-on-best.
    — Michael Russo, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
  • There were old ladies’ sequin dresses and their Sunday best.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
  • All of them climb this frame, and two earn new personal bests as millions mourn his passing.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • This week's quiz highlights baseball bests, nutty nibbles — and a lot more.
    — Khloe Quill , Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
  • This was baseball at its October best.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • This week's quiz highlights baseball bests, restaurant revamps — and a lot more.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
  • This week's quiz highlights park pioneers, baseball bests — and more.
    — Khloe Quill , Reem Amro, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2025
  • Groom hit personal bests in the triple jump and high jump, taking only one attempt each in triple and long jumps.
    — Rick Armstrong, Aurora Beacon-News, 27 May 2018
  • Apponequet deserves to stay in the top-10 by hanging with many of the state’s bests as well.
    — Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
  • And when she's not dressed in sweats or her game-day best, Brittany loves to dress up for girls' nights out with Swift.
    — Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 28 Jan. 2024
  • Her finish at the Isle of Wight bettered two previous world bests.
    — Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 16 June 2019
  • Denver’s pro sports teams are taking down historical bests the way Oprah used to give away cars.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 22 Nov. 2025

best

4 of 4 verb
  • Their reward for besting the host twice in a row?
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
  • There’s no perfect style of pizza that bests the rest.
    — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Gil was just a spectator on the play, with no chance to best the save.
    — Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
  • The besting tasting iced tea is brewed with cold water.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The Hawks have bested the Knicks in that aspect thus far.
    — Fred Katz, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The singer, who wont best new artist in 2009, went for an all-back look for the awards show.
    — Andrea Wurzburger, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023
  • That bested the 69-degree record set 20 years ago.
    — Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 25 Dec. 2025
  • This isn't the first time the Princess of Wales has bested her husband while dressed up.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Pizza Mamma bested all the rest in the search for the top pizza.
    — Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Trump ripped up that deal in 2018 and has been obsessed with besting it with his own.
    — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
  • Once again, Thomas bested everyone and was back for the summer.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • It’s bested the performance of many of the mega-cap tech companies.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The mark bested the previous record set back in 2014.
    — Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
  • And Johnson, who played guard, once bested Thomas for the state’s lineman of the year award.
    — cleveland, 1 Aug. 2023
  • With such big-name quarterbacks up for grabs, gang green should want to lose to avoid others besting them in the draft order.
    — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
  • The Beatles have laid claim to this honor for decades, and the band may never be bested.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • The two started the first two games of the series, where the Royals bested the Guardians.
    — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
  • The next year, Johnson would best his own record, dishing out 22 assists — a mark that still stands.
    — Dan Woike, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Sauron was bested by some filthy Hobbitses and their pal, Gollum.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Liu bested Japan's teen sensation Nakai Ami by less than two points to win the top spot.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Dec. 2025
  • Look for the youngster to best his season average for points and rebounds in what will be a high-scoring affair.
    — Ian Firstenberg, Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 2022
  • Those involve besting a fellow warrior in battle.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Hamilton was the top grossing show in the industry last week, again besting Wicked, which has held the top spot for months.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Miguel Vargas bested the Royals early with a two-run homer in the first inning.
    — Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026
  • But his reign was brief, when he was bested by one of Wednesday's contenders after a $0 wager.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
  • This year was no different with Hayes being ready to best the course in a Santa Run suit.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2022
  • Then at states, King bested McHargh in the 100 for the first time all season.
    — Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 29 June 2023
  • Changes need to be driven from within the industry in order to best capture what is useful for investors.
    — Sourav Goswami, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
  • Most of the states that bested them on helpfulness do not have metros big enough to be included on the top-12 city list.
    — Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Williams bested Sharapova in head-to-head matches with a 20-2 record.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'best.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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