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1. (superlative of 'good') having the most positive qualities
   "the best film of the year"; "the best solution"; "the best time for planting"; "wore his best suit"
    
2. (comparative and superlative of 'well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable
   "the White House thought it best not to respond"
   - better

1. In a most excellent way or manner
   "he played best after a couple of martinis"
    
2. It would be sensible
   "you'd best stay at home"
    
3. From a position of superiority or authority
   "father knows best"
   - better

1. The supreme effort one can make
   "they did their best"
    
2. The person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others
   "he could beat the best of them"
   - topper [Brit], crème de la crème

1. Get the better of
   "the goal was to best the competition"
   - outdo, outflank, trump, scoop, outgun

1. Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)
   - C. H. Best, Charles Herbert Best

1. Having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
   "good news from the hospital"; "a good report card"; "when she was good she was very very good"; "a good knife is one good for cutting"; "this stump will make a good picnic table"; "a good check"; "a good joke"; "a good exterior paint"; "a good secretary"; "a good dress for the office"
    
2. Having the normally expected amount
   "gives good measure"; "a good mile from here"
   - full
    
3. Morally admirable
    
4. Deserving of esteem and respect
   "ruined the family's good name"
   - estimable, honorable [US], respectable, honourable [Brit, Cdn]
    
5. Promoting or enhancing well-being
   "the experience was good for her"
   - beneficial
    
6. Agreeable or pleasing
   "we all had a good time"; "good manners"
    
7. Of moral excellence
   "a genuinely good person"
   - just, upright
    
8. Having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
   "a good mechanic"
   - adept, expert, practiced [N. Amer], proficient, skillful [N. Amer], skilful [Brit, Cdn], practised [Brit, Cdn]
    
9. Thorough
   "had a good workout"; "gave the house a good cleaning"
    
10. With or in a close or intimate relationship
    "a good friend"
    - dear, near
     
11. Financially sound
    "a good investment"
    - dependable, safe, secure
     
12. Most suitable or right for a particular purpose
    "a good time to plant tomatoes"
    - right, ripe
     
13. Resulting favourably
    "it's a good thing that I wasn't there"; "it is good that you stayed"
    - well
     
14. Exerting force or influence
    "a warranty good for two years"
    - effective, in effect, in force
     
15. Capable of pleasing
    "good looks"
     
16. Appealing to the mind
    "good music"
    - serious
     
17. In excellent physical condition
    "good teeth"; "I still have one good leg"
    - sound
     
18. Tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
    "a good night's sleep"
    - salutary
     
19. Not forged
    "a good dollar bill"
    - honest
     
20. Not left to spoil
    "the meat is still good"
    - undecomposed, unspoiled, unspoilt
     
21. Generally admired
    "good taste"

Derived forms: bested, bests, besting

See also: acceptable, advantageous, advisable, ample, angelic, angelical, bang-up, beatific, better, bully, champion, close, complete, corking, cracking, dandy, discriminating, echt, favorable [US], favourable [Brit, Cdn], first, foremost, fortunate, fresh, genuine, good, good enough, goodish, goodness, goody-goody, go-to-meeting, great, groovy, grouse [Austral, NZ], healthful, healthy, high-grade, hot, incomparable, intellectual, keen, moral, neat, nice, nifty, not bad, obedient, operative, opportune, optimal, optimum, peachy, pleasing, primo, prizewinning, quality, record-breaking, redeeming, redemptive, reputable, respectable, right, righteous, ripper [Austral], sainted, saintlike, saintly, satisfactory, saving, second-best, skilled, slap-up, smashing, solid, sound, Sunday-go-to-meeting, superb, superfine, superior, swell, top, top-grade, top-quality, uncomparable, unexceeded, unexcelled, unsurpassable, unsurpassed, virtuous, well behaved, well-behaved, white, world-beating, world-class, worthy

Type of: attempt, beat, beat out, crush, effort, endeavor [US], endeavour [Brit, Cdn], individual, mortal, person, physiologist, shell, somebody, someone, soul, trounce, try, vanquish

Antonym: bad, evil, worst

Encyclopedia: Best, NC Best, Best Best Best, Netherlands Best, worst and average case Best, Texas Best, North Carolina