the best/better/greater part of
idiom
: more than half of (something) : most of (something)
It took us the better part of a week to finish the job.
We've been waiting for the best part of an hour.
They live here for the greater part of the year.
Examples of the best/better/greater part of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The resolution — championed for the better part of three years by more than 700 Broadway theater actors, workers, and enthusiasts — was approved by a vote of 46-0 by the Parks and Recreation Committee at City Hall.
—
Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 28 June 2024
For the better part of the next two decades, Padalecki would emerge as the face of The CW.
—Max Gao, Variety, 27 June 2024
For the better part of a year, the contest between Biden and Trump has been a flat line in the polls, with Trump holding the narrowest of advantages in national polls and a slightly larger advantage in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
—Dan Balz, Washington Post, 22 June 2024
The ending of that movie kept me awake at night for the better part of a week, giving me plenty of time to think about pod people, sure, but also this actor who had so mesmerized me.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the best/better/greater part of 
Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 28 June 2024
For the better part of the next two decades, Padalecki would emerge as the face of The CW.
—Max Gao, Variety, 27 June 2024
For the better part of a year, the contest between Biden and Trump has been a flat line in the polls, with Trump holding the narrowest of advantages in national polls and a slightly larger advantage in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
—Dan Balz, Washington Post, 22 June 2024
The ending of that movie kept me awake at night for the better part of a week, giving me plenty of time to think about pod people, sure, but also this actor who had so mesmerized me.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the best/better/greater part of
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the best/better/greater part of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“The best/better/greater part of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20best%2Fbetter%2Fgreater%20part%20of. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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