better-off

adjective

Definition of better-offnext
as in successful

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of better-off The survey also showed that a shrinking number of households expect to feel better-off financially in a year. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 After all, these programs helped to create the class of better-off retirees who fund the group today. — Samuel Moyn, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026 Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson housing projects were built and black folks settled in, dreaming of moving in with their better-off cousins who lived near Lenox Avenue. — Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026 When New York boldly expanded free preschool a decade ago, classroom quality climbed mostly in better-off neighborhoods, failing to lift poor children. — Bruce Fuller, Oc Register, 27 Dec. 2025 The pumpkin would most likely have been stewed, possibly with meat, but pies reflected British heritage and were a common staple in better-off households. — Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 Japan was in a deep recession, but Uniqlo kept growing, offering bargains for the struggling masses and discretion for better-off consumers in an era that frowned upon conspicuous consumption. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025 Poorer school districts could also struggle to access the latest AI technology, widening the gap with areas that are better-off, Robin Lake, director of Arizona State University’s Center on Reinventing Public Education, told CNN. — Nic F. Anderson, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025 In the 1870s, workers and domestic servants were still living close to their employers in back alleys and compounds behind the homes of the better-off. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better-off
  1. successful
  2. affluent
  3. wealthy
  4. propertied
  5. prosperous
  6. well-to-do
  7. comfortable
  8. substantial
Adjective
  • Quantum mechanics, which recently turned 100 years old, ranks as the most successful theory in the history of physics.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Navy described the event as its first successful connection between an underway aircraft carrier’s control station and an MQ-25A aircraft.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of successful
Adjective
  • The men talked about who would assault the woman beforehand, took photos and recorded the assault, which was also seen on a security system feed at the home in Sullivan's Island, an affluent suburb of Charleston, state agents said.
    — MEG KINNARD, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Getting affluent early adopters on board now could be considered a win given the macro headwinds.
    — Kif Leswing,Annie Palmer,Jordan Novet, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of affluent
Adjective
  • Even after the setback, young households remained wealthier than their counterparts were before the pandemic.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The airline sees lots of wealthy customers traveling to and from Broward and wants to cater to them with fancier flights.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of wealthy
Adjective
  • Those writing the new constitution determined that men of substance, the wealthy, could be counted on to vote for men of good character who would end the chaos in the country and protect the interests of the propertied classes.
    — Christine Adams / Made by History, TIME, 16 Sep. 2024
  • Edward Gibbon, who was ultimately elected to the UK Parliament, was born into a propertied English family that had lost most of its fortune in the South Sea Bubble of the 1720s but later regained it.
    — BYWill Daniel, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023
Definition of propertied
Adjective
  • Is that the kind of society that the United States believes would create a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East regardless of who’s ruling Iran?
    — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Slightly more than half of Americans say Democrats would do a better job keeping the country prosperous, while only 37% believe Republicans would — the largest lead Democrats have enjoyed on this question in nearly 20 years.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of prosperous
Adjective
  • Her father, Isidor, was a well-to-do art-and-antiquities dealer, and her mother, Hedwig, was active in Jewish causes.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • For this new chapter in Britain, the son of King Charles III and his family have made their home in the Cotswolds, an idyllic region west of London that is popular with celebrities and the otherwise well-to-do.
    — Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of well-to-do
Adjective
  • Separate research from Prudential Financial recently found that more than six in 10 retirees with at least $500,000 in investable assets do not feel comfortable spending money for enjoyment.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • This oil keeps dry lips comfortable and looking juicy, thanks to hydrating hyaluronic acid and smoothing tripeptides, while minty menthol and peppermint oil plump without the painful sting.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of comfortable
Adjective
  • For a complicated model with multiple color changes, the waste can become substantial.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Its existing capabilities provide a starting point for the conversion, although the transport configuration cannot perform the new mission without substantial modifications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of substantial

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betterments
better-off
betters
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Cite this Entry

“Better-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better-off. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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