| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | improve performance; outdo |
| Synonyms: | advance, ameliorate, amend, beat, best, cap, correct, enhance, exceed, excel, forward, further, help, meliorate, mend, outshine, outstrip, promote, raise, rectify, refine, reform, revamp, surpass, top, transcend |
| Notes: | better is greater in excellence or higher in quality; more useful; more highly skilled; healthier than before - while bettor is someone who bets |
| Antonyms: | deteriorate, get worse, worsen |
| Main Entry: | beat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defeat, surpass |
| Synonyms: | be victorious, best, better, conquer, exceed, excel, outdo, outplay, outrival, outrun, outshine, outstrip, overcome, overtake, overwhelm, shoot ahead of, subdue, top, transcend, triumph, vanquish, whip |
| Antonyms: | cede, lose, relinquish, retreat, surrender |
| Main Entry: | benefit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | help, enhance |
| Synonyms: | advance, advantage, aid, ameliorate, assist, avail, be good for, better, build, contribute to, do for one, do the trick, favor, fill the bill, further, improve, make a killing, make it, pay, pay off, profit, promote, relieve, serve, succor, work for |
| Antonyms: | handicap, harm, hinder, hurt, injure |
| Main Entry: | best |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defeat; gain advantage |
| Synonyms: | KO, beat, beat up, better, blank*, blast*, bulldoze, clobber, conquer, cream*, deck, drub, exceed, excel, flax, floor*, get the better of, knock off, lambaste, let have it, lick*, master, outclass, outdo, outshine, outstrip, overcome, prevail, put away, shoot down, shut down, surpass, take care of, take down, tan*, thrash*, top, total, transcend, trash*, triumph, triumph over, trounce, wallop, waste*, wax, whip*, whomp, whop, wipe out, wipe the floor with, wipe, zap |
| Antonyms: | give up, lose, relent, surrender |
| Main Entry: | cap |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | outdo a performance |
| Synonyms: | beat, best, better, button down, button up, can*, clinch, cob, complete, cover, crest, crown, do to a T, eclipse, exceed, excel, finish, outshine, outstrip, pass, put the lid on, surmount, surpass, top, top it off, transcend, trump, wrap up |
| Main Entry: | civilize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make cultured; develop |
| Synonyms: | acculturate, acquaint, advance, better, cultivate, edify, educate, elevate, enlighten, ennoble, enrich, ethicize, foster, help forward, humanize, idealize, improve, indoctrinate, inform, instruct, polish, promote, reclaim, refine, sophisticate, spiritualize, tame, uplift |
| Main Entry: | compensate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | offset, make up for |
| Synonyms: | abrogate, annul, atone for, balance, better, cancel out, counteract, counterbalance, counterpoise, countervail, fix, improve, invalidate, make amends, negate, negative, neutralize, nullify, outweigh, redress, repair, set off |
| Antonyms: | damage, deprive, penalize |
| Main Entry: | correct |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fix, adjust |
| Synonyms: | alter, ameliorate, amend, better, change, clean up, clean up act, cure, debug, do over, doctor*, edit, emend, fiddle with, fix up, get with it, go over, help, improve, launder, make over, make right, make up for, mend, pay dues, pick up, polish, put in order, reclaim, reconstruct, rectify, redress, reform, regulate, remedy, remodel, reorganize, repair, retouch, review, revise, right, scrub, set right, set straight, shape up, straighten out, touch up, turn around, upgrade |
| Antonyms: | blow, blunder, goof, mistake |
| Main Entry: | cultivate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | enrich situation; give special attention |
| Synonyms: | advance, ameliorate, better, bolster, bring on, brownnose, butter up, cherish, civilize, court, develop, discipline, elevate, encourage, enrich, foster, further, get in with, get next to, get on good side of, improve, nourish, nurse, nurture, play up to, polish, promote, refine, run after, seek friendship, shine up to, suck up to, take pains with, train |
| Antonyms: | ignore, neglect |