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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Get the better of someone

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

Defeat someone, or become too strong for them to control.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. I tried to stay patient, but frustration got the better of me.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

Defeat someone, or become too strong for them to control.
Show the answer

Get the better of someone — Defeat someone, or become too strong for them to control.

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Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Get the better of someone” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

Defeat someone, or become too strong for them to control.

Compare: I tried to stay patient, but frustration got the better of me.

Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

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More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use this expression about an opponent winning or a feeling overcoming someone’s self-control. It is natural in conversation and general writing.

More examples in context

  • Their experienced captain got the better of us in the final round.
  • Curiosity got the better of Leo, and he opened the mystery envelope.

Usage note

Include an object: “got the better of me”, not just “got the better of”. With feelings, the feeling is the subject; with a competition, the winning opponent can be the subject.

A short conversation

A: Why did you check the results before the announcement?
B: Curiosity got the better of me.
A: I was tempted to look too.

One more practice question

“My nerves got the better of me during the interview.” What happened?

A. My nervousness became difficult to control.
B. I felt entirely calm throughout.

Check your answer

A. Here the feeling became stronger than the speaker’s ability to control it.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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