English pronunciation · Words Starting with B
Better Pronunciation
Better is pronounced BE-ter, IPA /ˈbɛtɝ/.
BE-ter
US /ˈbɛtɝ/ · UK /ˈbɛtə/
Syllables: BE · ter (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective and adverb: Of higher quality than something else, or recovered from illness.
Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.
Better in a Sentence
- The second draft is better than the first.
- She is much better after a week in bed.
- You had better leave now to catch the train.
Common Mispronunciations of Better
Not BI-ter
The e is the one in bed, and shifted towards an i it gives bitter, which means something else entirely.
Not be-TER
Nothing in the back half is said at full volume; BE carries the whole word on its own.
Tip: A comparative -er is always a weak ter, whether in better, faster, or louder.
More words starting with b · Every word in the pronunciation guide