better the message

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "better the message" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where one is suggesting to improve or enhance the clarity or effectiveness of a message. Example: "To ensure our audience understands our goals, we need to better the message we are conveying in our presentation."

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

While the pacing could be better, the message is lasting and worth the annoyance.

The New York Times - Arts

"The bigger the win, the better the message it sends to LGBT people around Ireland and the world," he added.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Things are getting better and better went the message.

The Economist

I modestly proposed to the panel that in an increasingly globalized world, journalists should also be multilingual to better understand what they see and cover and to better convey the message.

Huffington Post

That allows the company to better understand who the influencers are on the subject, and what sort of hashtags might work to better promote the message in the future, among other things.

TechCrunch

But if sharpened and better focused, the message could have been at least a little more helpful to the Republican cause.

The Guardian - Opinion

(Conveniently, this allows his campaign to better coordinate the message from the top, and to collect donations that would have gone to those organisations).

The Guardian - Opinion

It gets better — just the message that the columnist Dan Savage has reinforced, amid the heartbreaking rash of recent suicides by gay teenagers, with his recent YouTube campaign, which invites gay adults to tell stories about having transcended the tortures of youth.

The New York Times

"Hungary is performing better!" is the message plastered on the country's buses, trams and roadside billboards for the past months - long before the election campaign started.

BBC

But instead of saying they'll mingle with real people to build better products, the message seems to be that the real people need to get with the program.

TechCrunch

There is also the perennial debate of whether hulking conferences like MWC (ditto CES) are simply all that relevant these days, with companies preferring instead to run their own events and better control the message accordingly.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "better the message", ensure the context clearly indicates that you are actively trying to improve or enhance the message's quality or impact. Consider if a more common alternative like "improve the message" might be clearer for your audience.

Common error

While not strictly incorrect, "better the message" can sound unusual in formal writing. In business reports or academic papers, consider using alternatives like "improve the message" or "refine the message" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "better the message" functions as a directive to enhance or improve the quality and impact of a message. It suggests a need for refinement, as shown in Ludwig's examples, emphasizing clarity and effectiveness in communication. While Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is not standard, it is used to convey the idea of improving a message.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "better the message" is used to convey the need to improve or enhance the quality and impact of a message. While Ludwig AI identifies it as not standard, its occurrence in various contexts, particularly in news and media, demonstrates its usage. It's important to consider alternatives such as "improve the message" or "enhance the message", especially in formal settings, to ensure clarity and appropriateness. The frequency of this phrase is rare, suggesting it's not the most common choice, but it remains a valid option for emphasizing the improvement of communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

improve the message

Replaces "better" with a more standard verb for enhancement.

enhance the message

Emphasizes making the message more effective and impactful.

clarify the message

Focuses on making the message easier to understand.

refine the message

Suggests a process of subtle improvements for greater precision.

strengthen the message

Highlights making the message more persuasive and robust.

fine-tune the message

Implies making small adjustments for optimal impact.

sharpen the message

Emphasizes making the message more focused and direct.

optimize the message

Focuses on making the message as effective as possible.

polish the message

Suggests removing imperfections to improve the message's presentation.

develop the message

Focuses on adding depth and substance.

FAQs

What does "better the message" mean?

The phrase "better the message" means to improve, enhance, or clarify the message to make it more effective or understandable.

How can I use "better the message" in a sentence?

You can use it to suggest that effort should be made to improve the delivery or content of the message, for example: "To ensure our audience understands our goals, we need to better the message we are conveying in our presentation."

What can I say instead of "better the message"?

You can use alternatives like "improve the message", "enhance the message", or "clarify the message" depending on the context.

Is "better the message" grammatically correct?

While not incorrect, "better the message" is less common than alternatives like "improve the message" and may sound unusual to some. Its acceptability depends on context and audience.