better part of

USAGE SUMMARY

"better part of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the greater amount of something, as in the following example sentence: I spent the better part of the day studying for the test.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Courage is the better part of valor.

The New York Times

Or the better part of political valor.

The New York Times

We spent the better part of a week together.

Princeton University

Cleaning up took the better part of a year.

The New York Times - Magazine

Shepherdson spent the better part of two decades pursuing Cassius.

The New York Times

So went the better part of 20 years.

The New York Times

It consumed the better part of three presidential terms.

The New York Times - Sports

For the better part of five weeks, the Nets evolved.

The New York Times - Sports

Discretion is always the better part of an ASEAN communiqué.

The Economist

The trip took the better part of a whole day.

The New York Times

The drive took the better part of the morning.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "better part of" to indicate that something took up a large, but not necessarily the entire, amount of time or resources. For example, "The project took the "better part of" a year to complete."

Common error

Avoid using "better part of" when referring to something that is nearly or entirely complete. Instead, use "almost all" or "nearly all" to convey a higher degree of completion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "better part of" functions as a determiner modifying a noun, indicating a significant portion or duration. Ludwig's examples show it commonly precedes time periods like "a year", "an hour", or "a decade".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

31%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "better part of" is a common and generally correct way to describe a significant, though not necessarily complete, portion of something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and provides numerous real-world examples. It functions as a determiner and is primarily used to emphasize the amount of time, effort, or resources involved. While suitable for neutral and somewhat informal contexts, more formal alternatives like "greater portion of" may be preferable in academic or scientific writing. The phrase appears most frequently in news and media, as well as academic sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of

This alternative simplifies the phrase, focusing on the majority.

majority of

This option is more formal and emphasizes the larger share.

greater portion of

Replaces "better" with "greater" while retaining the concept of a significant amount.

larger share of

Focuses on the proportion, suggesting a considerable segment.

bulk of

Emphasizes the main mass or quantity of something.

lion's share of

Implies the largest and most desirable portion.

substantial part of

Highlights the significance of the portion.

significant amount of

Shifts the focus to the quantity being considerable.

considerable segment of

Highlights that the portion constitutes a noteworthy element of the total.

major fraction of

Indicates a large and important division of something.

FAQs

How can I use "better part of" in a sentence?

Use "better part of" to describe a significant portion of time or resources spent on something. For example, "I spent the "better part of" the day cleaning the house."

What's a good alternative to "better part of"?

Depending on the context, you could use "most of", "majority of", or "substantial portion of".

Is it always appropriate to use "better part of"?

While generally acceptable, "better part of" might sound informal in some contexts. Consider "greater portion of" or "significant amount of" for a more formal tone.

What does "better part of" mean?

"Better part of" means a considerable or significant portion of something, but typically not the entirety. It implies that a large amount of time, effort, or resources was devoted to a particular task or activity.