better the purpose

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "better the purpose" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express the idea of improving or enhancing a purpose, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "We need to better the purpose of our project to ensure it aligns with our goals."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Thus, amplitude serves better the purpose of discriminating between them.

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The hide of city horses is better for the purpose than that of country horses.

The New Yorker

Pupils work better knowing the purpose of learning, and so do we!

The Guardian

These are much better for the purpose than flashlights because they keep one's hands free for the flatware.

The New York Times - Food

In a recent issue of the journal Nature, for example, researchers discussed the need to better understand the purpose and potential of neural stem cells that are found in all adult human brains.

The New York Times

A historical perspective of friction in machining is provided to better evaluate the purpose of this article.

Wear

Stanford's Blaschke suggests much could be gained by better communicating the purpose of the trial, and the importance of following through with medication.

Science Magazine

By applying our experimental manipulation to only three of the 24 to-be-chosen characters, we could better occlude the purpose of the study.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Some quantitative tools based on databases may be more suitable for assessing scenarios within a shorter time horizon, whereas qualitative assessment methods might better fit the purpose of long-term transformative scenarios.

European Journal of Futures Research

From the perspective of my own designer gay bifocals, mistakes are actually fabulous lessons we've been given so that we can better see the purpose in our lives!

Huffington Post

At any rate, the authors should better clarify the purpose of these experiments and what they conclude from the results.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you intend to convey the idea of improving the clarity or effectiveness of a purpose, use standard phrasing like "improve the purpose" or "clarify the purpose" to ensure clear communication.

Common error

Don't use the phrasing "better the purpose". It's unconventional and may confuse readers. Instead, opt for clearer alternatives such as "improve the purpose" or "enhance the aim".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "better the purpose" is intended to function as a verb phrase, aiming to express the action of improving or clarifying a particular objective. However, according to Ludwig, it's grammatically questionable and uncommon.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "better the purpose" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig advises that it's not standard English and recommends using clearer alternatives such as "improve the purpose" or "clarify the purpose". Although it appears in various contexts, including science, news, and formal business, its infrequent use and grammatical issues suggest avoiding it in favor of more conventional phrasing. When writing, remember to prioritize clarity and precision by using the common alternatives offered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

improve the purpose

Directly replaces "better" with a more standard verb, resulting in a clearer and more grammatically sound phrase.

enhance the purpose

Similar to 'improve', but suggests a more significant and impactful refinement of the purpose.

clarify the purpose

Focuses on making the purpose clearer and more easily understood.

refine the objective

Replaces both 'better' and 'purpose' with synonyms, resulting in a more formal and precise expression.

advance the goal

Focuses on moving the goal forward, implying an improvement in its progress or effectiveness.

optimize the aim

Suggests making the aim as effective and efficient as possible.

strengthen the intent

Focuses on reinforcing the underlying intent or motivation behind the purpose.

develop the rationale

Emphasizes the importance of a well-developed and logically sound rationale for the purpose.

better define the aim

Focuses on improving the definition or formulation of the aim, making it more specific and actionable.

improve the rationale

Similar to develop the rationale, but focuses specifically on how to improve the quality and effectiveness of reasoning.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to the phrase "better the purpose"?

Instead of "better the purpose", consider using phrases like "improve the purpose", "clarify the purpose", or "enhance the aim" for better clarity.

Is "better the purpose" grammatically correct?

No, "better the purpose" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use phrases like "improve the purpose" or "better define the aim".

How can I use "improve the purpose" in a sentence?

You can use "improve the purpose" in a sentence like this: "We need to improve the purpose of this project to ensure it meets our objectives."

What's the difference between "better the purpose" and "improve the purpose"?

"Better the purpose" is not standard English and sounds awkward. "Improve the purpose" is the correct and commonly used phrase to indicate making the purpose better.