at best

ADVERB

partly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

at least partially slightly somewhat

WEAK

at most at worst bit by bit by degrees carelessly halfway in a general way in bits and pieces in part in some measure in some ways inadequately incompletely insufficiently little by little measurably not entirely not fully not strictly speaking not wholly notably noticeably piece by piece piecemeal relatively so far as possible to a certain degree to a certain extent up to a certain point within limits

Antonyms

WEAK

completely totally wholly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The result is a metaphysical model that, at best, lacks clarity, and at worst obscures the very nature of reality.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

To be sure, index inclusion represents passive buying, and buying drives up stock prices, but passive buying, at best, creates short-term distortions in price, not long-term distortions in value.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

"Did I at best subconsciously treat Peter Mandelson differently because I believed him to have influence and power within the Labour party?" he said.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

The disturbing thing is that it’s a question whose answer, to any well-read observer, is uncertain at best.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

Inside Wall Street they were classified, at best, as “high net worth individuals.”

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

at best

Example Sentences

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