idiom · informal
better half
UK/ˌbetə ˈhɑːf/US/ˌbɛtər ˈhæf/BET·ter half
someone's spouse or long-term romantic partner (affectionate)
Examples
“I invited my better half to the awards ceremony.”
“When people meet my better half they always say how well we get on.”
“He rarely talks about his work, but he always mentions his better half.”
Band 8 sentence
“When asked about his success, he smiled and said his better half had been the real driving force behind it.”
Collocations
- meet someone's better half
- my better half
Word family
Common mistakes
This is mybetter half.→This is my better half.
He introduced me to his better-half.→He introduced me to his better half.
She is the better half of him.→She is his better half.
Say it for a higher band
5wife / husband→6partner→7+better half
Synonyms
partner
spouse
Easily confused
significant other
“I usually say 'my significant other' in formal emails, but I call him my better half at home.”
Related words
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In Relationships
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