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“Bestest” – Should We Use It?

Is Bestest A Word?

Bestest is an informal word that acts as an extra superlative form of best. It can be understood to mean something like the very best, or the best of the best. Although many people claim it is a word, it is often best to avoid its use for formal applications. 

In general, bestest is only used by people in everyday speech to describe an emphatic version of best. It can be found in some dictionaries, and it has an easily understood meaning, so even though it isn’t a word, it has stuck around in the English language. 

The Meaning Of Bestest:

As mentioned, bestest is an informal use of the superlative suffix –est to the word best. This is technically not grammatically correct, as best is already an exaggerated version of the word good. Due to these reasons, if found in dictionaries, bestest is often accompanied by an explanation, noting that it is informal and nonstandard. 

Can You Use Bestest?

Because bestest isn’t grammatically correct, it should be avoided for formal use. It can often denote irony or some other type of humor in things like magazines or online articles. However, it is probably best to save it for talking with your friends! 

Examples Of Using Bestest:

Timmy was so happy to go to the park because he knew his bestest friend Eric would be there. 

I had the bestest time at your birthday party yesterday, Suzie! 

The boss loved Jim because he was his hardest and bestest worker. 

Jamie said he wanted you to bring food because you make the bestest cookies!


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Posted by Ryan Fisher
By Ryan Fisher

Ryan holds degrees from Pacific Lutheran University and specialises in proofreading, editing and content writing with a emphasis on business communication.

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