bested

USAGE SUMMARY

'bested' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an intransitive verb meaning 'to defeat or surpass (someone or something) in a competition or struggle', as in "John bested his opponent in the chess match."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But he bested Salmond in the first crucial TV debate between them.

The Guardian - Opinion

The robot-uniformed French electronic duo Daft Punk bested Lorde and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to take home the album and record of the year.

The Guardian - Music

It is bested in both tables by Botswana and Ghana, perhaps because of a perceived rise in corruption.Another notable feature of the WJP index is that several countries that foreign investors have been eyeing with high hopes nonetheless perform poorly in terms of the law.

The Economist

By increasing his hold in Lower Saxony (47.9% of the vote this time, up from 44.3% in 1994), he not only ended a string of regional-election setbacks for the Social Democrats (most recently in Hamburg, last September), he also bested Oskar Lafontaine, the party's chairman, his longstanding rival in the battle over who should take on Mr Kohl.

The Economist

Mr Waxman won, but Mr Dingell bested him in the battle of the retirees; Mr Waxman was the first of the two men to announce that he was leaving Congress.What Mr Dingell did with this considerable power was defend the car industry, blocking the regulation of exhaust fumes, fighting competition from Japanese imports and championing the bail-outs of GM and Chrysler in 2009.

The Economist

"My mission and that of my generation of politicians [on the centre-left] is to build the Democratic Party and, at the same time, demonstrate that Berlusconi can be bested.

The Economist

Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC's leader and the man who bested Mr Mugabe in the first round in March, was detained by the police for nine hours on June 4th while on the campaign trail.

The Economist

The firm rejected InBev's original offer of $46 billion as financially inadequate.NBC has bested Time Warner in a battle for the Weather Channel.

The Economist

Lenovo has recently bested HP to become the top peddler of desktop computers worldwide.

The Economist

As in other states, his supporters flooded the airwaves with negative ads Mr Gingrich denounced the merciless tide as a "five-to-one onslaught".Perhaps more importantly, Mr Romney clearly bested Mr Gingrich in two televised debates, hitherto the medium on which Mr Gingrich had staked his candidacy.

The Economist

Yet beyond the fairways it bristles with weapons.According to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Singapore is now the fifth-largest arms importer in the world, bested only by some obvious behemoths China, India and Pakistan plus South Korea.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bested" when you want to convey a sense of having clearly outperformed or defeated someone in a competition or contest. It adds a slightly more formal or literary tone compared to simpler words like "defeated".

Common error

Avoid using "bested" in passive constructions where the subject receiving the action isn't clearly defined or doesn't make sense. For example, instead of saying "The game was bested by their strategy", use "Their strategy bested the game" or, even better, "Their strategy ensured victory in the game".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "bested" is as the past tense and past participle of the verb "best". It is used transitively to describe the action of defeating or outperforming someone, as seen in many of the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bested" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "best", meaning to defeat or outperform someone. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and frequently used in formal contexts such as news and media. While it carries a neutral to formal tone, it effectively conveys the sense of overcoming an opponent, often highlighting skill or strategic advantage. When using "bested", remember to ensure that the subject receiving the action is clearly defined, and be mindful of context to avoid awkward passive constructions. Alternatives include "defeated", "outperformed", and "surpassed", offering variations in nuance and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Defeated

A straightforward synonym for "bested", indicating a clear loss for the opponent.

Triumphed over

Implies a significant victory after a struggle.

Prevailed against

Suggests overcoming strong opposition or difficulty.

Outmaneuvered

Focuses on strategic advantage rather than direct confrontation.

Emerged victorious over

Highlights the final state of winning after a process.

Got the better of

A more colloquial way of saying "bested", implying an advantage gained.

Outdid

Focuses on exceeding someone else's performance or actions.

Overcame

Simple and direct, focusing on surpassing an obstacle.

Conquered

Implies a complete and decisive victory, often in a broader context.

Surpassed

Emphasizes exceeding expectations or a previous limit.

FAQs

How to use "bested" in a sentence?

You can use "bested" to indicate that someone has been defeated or surpassed in a competition or contest. For example, "Our team "bested" their rivals in the final round."

What can I say instead of "bested"?

You can use alternatives like "defeated", "outperformed", or "surpassed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "bested" or "beated"?

"Bested" is the correct past tense and past participle form of "best". "Beated" is not a standard English word.

What's the difference between "bested" and "defeated"?

While both words indicate a loss for one party and a win for another, "bested" often carries a connotation of skill, strategy, or a competitive edge. "Defeated" is more general and can apply to any kind of loss, not necessarily involving skill. For instance, a natural disaster may "defeat" a community, but it wouldn't "best" it.