If you are wondering whether “bests” or “best” is correct, the answer is usually best.
Best is the standard form when it is used as a superlative adjective or adverb, as in “
This is the best option” or “She performed best in the final round.”
However, bests can be correct in a few specific situations when best is used as a noun or, less commonly, as a verb.
The key is to look at how the word is being used in the sentence.
If you are comparing people or things and describing the highest degree of quality, use best, not bests.
If best is functioning as a noun meaning “best wishes,” or as a verb meaning “to defeat or outperform,” bests can appear as a plural noun or third-person singular verb.
Understanding these different uses will help you choose the correct form naturally.
Quick Answer
Best is the correct choice in most sentences. Use best as a superlative adjective or adverb: “She is the best student” or “He performed best.” Bests is uncommon but can be correct when best is a noun or verb, such as “Send him my best” or “She bests her competitors.”
Why Do People Confuse “Bests” and “Best”?
The confusion often comes from the fact that best can perform several grammatical roles.
It can be:
- an adjective: the best choice
- an adverb: She sings best
- a noun: My best
- a verb: He bests his opponent
Because English often adds -s to verbs and plural nouns, learners may wonder whether bests should be used whenever the subject is singular.
The important point is that best does not normally become “bests” when it is an adjective or adverb.
For example:
She is the best player.
Not:
❌ She is the bests player.
First Word: “Bests”
Bests is a real word, but it is much less common than best.
It can be the third-person singular form of the verb best, meaning to defeat, outperform, or get the better of someone.
For example:
The champion bests all her previous competitors.
Here, bests is a verb.
It can also appear as a plural form when best is used as a noun in certain contexts, although this use is uncommon.
In ordinary English, however, you will encounter best much more frequently than bests.
Second Word: “Best”
Best is the superlative form of good and well.
It describes the highest degree of quality, ability, or performance.
Examples:
- This is the best restaurant in town.
- She is my best friend.
- He did his best.
- Which option is best?
- She performed best in the competition.
Best can also be used as a noun:
I wish you all the best.
And it can be used as a verb:
The young player bested his opponent.
Notice that the more common past-tense form is bested, not bests.
Bests vs Best: Comparison Table
| Word | Grammatical role | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best | Adjective | Highest in quality | This is the best choice. |
| Best | Adverb | To the highest degree | She performed best. |
| Best | Noun | The highest standard or best wishes | I wish you the best. |
| Bests | Verb | Defeats or outperforms | He bests his rivals. |
| Bests | Plural noun, uncommon | More than one “best” | The book discusses several bests. |
When Should You Use “Best” or “Bests”?
Use “best” when describing the highest quality
This is by far the most common use.
- the best student
- the best answer
- the best choice
- the best movie
- the best solution
Example:
This is the best solution to the problem.
Use “best” as an adverb
When describing how well someone does something, use best.
- She sings best.
- He works best under pressure.
- Which method works best?
- I think this option fits best.
Do not add -s simply because the subject is singular.
Use “bests” as a verb when it means “outperforms”
This use is grammatically possible but less common.
The new record bests the previous one.
Here, bests means surpasses or exceeds.
However, writers often choose more familiar verbs such as beats, surpasses, exceeds, or outperforms.
Use “best” in expressions such as “all the best”
Common expressions include:
- All the best.
- Best wishes.
- My best.
- I wish you the best.
These expressions do not normally require bests.
10+ Examples of “Best” and “Bests”
Examples with “best”
- She is the best student in the class.
- This is the best restaurant in the area.
- He did his best on the exam.
- Which option works best for you?
- She performed best in the final round.
- That was the best decision we could make.
- I wish you all the best.
- This method works best for beginners.
- He is one of my best friends.
- We chose the best available option.
Examples with “bests”
- The athlete bests her previous record.
- The new model bests its predecessor in several tests.
- The team bests its previous performance.
In these examples, bests is a verb meaning surpasses or outperforms.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: “She is the bests student.”
❌ She is the bests student.
✅ She is the best student.
Best is an adjective here, so it does not take -s.
Mistake 2: “Which works bests?”
❌ Which method works bests?
✅ Which method works best?
Here, best is an adverb describing how well the method works.
Mistake 3: “I wish you all the bests.”
❌ I wish you all the bests.
✅ I wish you all the best.
The standard expression is “all the best.”
Mistake 4: Assuming “best” always needs an -s with a singular subject
❌ She sings bests.
✅ She sings best.
The word best is an adverb here and does not change according to the subject.
Mistake 5: Using “bests” when “best” is a noun
❌ He gave me his bests.
Usually:
✅ He gave me his best.
The noun best is normally treated as an uncountable or fixed expression in this type of sentence.
Memory Trick
Remember:
Best usually stays best.
If you mean highest quality or highest degree, use best:
She is the best.
He performed best.
Use bests only when it is specifically functioning as a verb meaning outperforms or defeats:
The new product bests the old model.
A useful shortcut is:
Best = highest
Bests = outperforms
American vs British English
Best is used in both American and British English with the same basic meanings.
The verb best, meaning to defeat or outperform, is also found in both varieties, although it is less common in everyday conversation than alternatives such as beat, defeat, or outperform.
For example:
The team bests its rival.
is grammatically possible, but:
The team beats its rival.
is often more natural in ordinary conversation.
Similar Words
Better
Better is the comparative form of good and well.
This option is better than the other one.
Best
Best is the superlative form.
This is the best option of the three.
Good
Good describes positive quality.
This is a good book.
Well
Well usually describes how an action is performed.
She sings well.
Bested
Bested means defeated or outperformed.
The champion was bested by a younger player.
Outperform
Outperform means to perform better than someone or something else.
The new system outperformed the old one.
Final Verdict
For normal English, best is the word you will use most of the time. It is the superlative form of good and well, and it can function as an adjective, adverb, or noun.
Bests is possible, but it has a much narrower use. As a verb, bests means defeats, surpasses, or outperforms:
The new model bests the previous version.
So, if you are writing “the best,” “do your best,” “works best,” or “all the best,” use best. Do not add -s simply because the subject is singular.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “bests” a correct word?
Yes, bests can be correct when best is used as a verb meaning “defeats” or “outperforms.” It is much less common than best.
Is “best” plural?
Usually, best is not treated as a regular plural noun. In most common expressions, such as “all the best,” it remains best.
Should I say “all the best” or “all the bests”?
The standard expression is “all the best.”
Is “bests” the plural of “best”?
It can appear as a plural noun in specialized contexts, but ordinary English generally uses best without adding -s. The common expression is “the best,” not “the bests.”
Is “bests” a verb?
Yes. Bests is the third-person singular present form of best when best is used as a verb meaning to defeat or outperform.
Is “best” an adjective or adverb?
It can be either. In “the best student,” best is an adjective. In “She performed best,” best is an adverb.
What is the difference between “better” and “best”?
Better is comparative and normally compares two things. Best is superlative and identifies the highest degree among three or more things, or the highest possible degree in a general sense.
Remember This
The easiest rule is:
Best = highest quality or degree.
Bests = outperforms or defeats.
Examples:
- She is the best player.
- He performed best.
- I wish you all the best.
- The new design bests the old one.
In everyday English, best is overwhelmingly the more common form.
Conclusion
The words best and bests are both possible in English, but they do not have the same function. Best is normally used as the superlative form of good or well, and it can describe the highest quality or degree. It is also common in expressions such as “do your best” and “all the best.”
Bests is much less common. It is mainly seen as the third-person singular form of the verb best, meaning to defeat, surpass, or outperform someone or something. Therefore, do not add -s to best simply because a sentence has a singular subject. In most everyday situations, best is the correct choice.
