What does besting mean?
Besting is the present participle and gerund of the verb 'best', which means to defeat, outdo, or get the better of someone or something. The word carries connotations of hard-won victory: one bests a rival in an election, bests a personal record, or bests the odds, implying that the opponent or obstacle was formidable. It appears frequently in sports writing, political coverage, and literary prose, where it lends a slightly elevated register compared with plain 'beating'. The underlying verb 'best' derives from Old English 'betst' (or 'betest'), the superlative of 'good', making it a rare case of a superlative form functioning as a verb in its own right. Related forms include 'better' as a verb, as in improving upon something. Besting is useful precisely because it emphasizes triumph through merit or effort rather than luck, making it ideal for describing competitive achievement.
verb (present participle and gerund of 'best')The act of defeating or outdoing someone or something; getting the better of an opponent or challenge.
- Defeating or getting the better of an opponent in a contest or struggle.
- Surpassing or exceeding something, such as a record, score, or previous achievement.
"She finally managed the besting of her longtime rival in the championship final."
"After three attempts, he succeeded in besting the course record by two seconds."
"The underdog team delighted fans by besting the reigning champions."
The verb 'best' is one of English's rare words where the superlative form became its own verb — you don't just 'good' someone, you 'best' them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of besting
The verb 'best', from which 'besting' derives, comes from Old English 'betst' (variant 'betest'), the superlative form of 'good' (related to 'better'). It emerged as a verb meaning 'to get the better of' in English, with the sense well established by the 19th century. Its closest relative within English is the verb 'better', from the comparative form, which likewise means to improve upon or surpass. These are native Germanic words; cognates appear across Germanic languages in adjectival superlative forms, though only English developed verbs directly from them.
Related word forms
How besting is actually used
Slightly formal or literary in tone; common in sports journalism, political reporting, and narrative prose. 'Besting' often implies effortful victory over a worthy opponent rather than an easy win. As a gerund it can serve as a noun ('the besting of the champion'), though this is less common than its participial use.
Easily confused with besting
'Basting' means moistening food with liquid during cooking or using loose temporary stitches, while 'besting' means defeating or outdoing someone.