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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Lower earners historically see higher rates of inflation than their better-off counterparts, said Morgan Stanley economist Heather Berger. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026 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
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
  • Some of the renovations have been successful; fountains are running anew, including the long-dormant cascading water feature at the city’s popular Meridian Hill Park.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Live Local also disrupts years of successful and careful planning by the city to promote compatible, consistent development in neighborhoods like Wynwood.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Definition of successful
Adjective
  • Raised in an affluent suburb in Marin County, Siebel Newsom, 52, grew up in privilege.
    — Jenny Jarvie Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Walmart The superstore stock has plenty of runway as Walmart 's efforts to court more affluent consumers begin to pay off, according to Bank of America.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Definition of affluent
Adjective
  • Swift’s name came up as a possible wealthy benefactor to pay for a new football stadium in Kansas City.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • Some wealthy suburbs were too small for the MoneyLion ranking.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 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
  • Hamilton championed the bank as a necessary component for building a prosperous America with a stable financial system.
    — Owen Lamont, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • Infrastructure, education, healthcare and utilities have all benefitted and Botswana is now viewed as one of the continent’s most stable and prosperous economies.
    — Kate Matthams, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of prosperous
Adjective
  • The calming locales both complement and contradict the plot’s revelations, which are hardly bombshells but do speak to how well-to-do families labor to shove inconvenient skeletons into the closet.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • After more than three years, Pennsylvania authorities have announced a break in one of the state’s most notable cold cases — the murder of a married couple in a well-to-do suburb of Philadelphia.
    — Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Definition of well-to-do
Adjective
  • Air conditioning will be keeping millions of Americans safe and comfortable over the holiday weekend as a heat dome brings dangerous conditions to millions.
    — Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The lightweight, double-layered design offers extra coverage without feeling heavy, while the stretchy waistband and flowy design keep it comfortable all day.
    — Taylor Jean Stephan, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of comfortable
Adjective
  • Trading commodities, futures, and options involves a substantial risk of loss.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • For smaller private colleges that are tuition dependent and lack substantial and accessible endowments, even a modest reduction in enrollment could prove calamitous.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of substantial

Browse Nearby Words

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 8 Jul. 2026.

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