Best Meaning
/ˈbɛst/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjsuperlative form of good: most good.
adjMost; largest.
Sentence Examples
I'll do my best not to disturb your studying.
I think it is best not to be impolite.
We all want the best for our children.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her performance was the ____ of all the contestants in the competition.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He tried his very ____ to finish the race despite his leg injury.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English best, beste, from Old English bezt, betest, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz. Cognates Cognate with Scots best (“best”), Cimbrian peste, péste (“best”), Dutch best (“best”), German beste (“best”), Yiddish בעסט (best, “best”), Danish bedst (“best”), Faroese bestur (“best”), Icelandic bestur, beztur (“best”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk best (“best”), Swedish bäst (“best”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 (batists, “best”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[…] when he is beſt, he is a little worſe then a man, and when he is worſt, he is little better than a beaſt:"
— c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 163, column 1:
"Heav'ns laſt beſt gift, my ever new delight,"
— 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, line 19:
"Swinging in the backyard
Pull up in your fast car whistling my name
Open up a beer
And you say get over here and play a video game
[…]
I say you the bestest
Lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on
Go play your video game"
— 2011 October 7, Lana Del Rey, Justin Parker, “Video Games”, in Born to Die, performed by Lana Del Rey:
"Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult.[…]Governments have to find the best people to fill important jobs: there is a limited supply of people who understand the financial system, for example. But governments must also remember that businesses are self-interested actors who will try to rig the system for their own benefit."
— 2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
"There's no common goal
There's no common feeling
To have the best house in the worst city"
— 2025 July 19, Pacifik, “Country’s Calling”, in Wonderfool, performed by Pacifik:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her performance was the ____ of all the contestants in the competition.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He tried his very ____ to finish the race despite his leg injury.