The problem with rhetorical questions is that they can sometimes go right over people’s heads. That’s why, if you want to suggest something, the phrase “what better way” may not always be the simplest option for expressing yourself.
Worry not! We’ve compiled a list of useful alternative phrases to help you out.
Other Ways to Say “What Better Way”
- How best
- Nothing beats
- What could be better
- The only way
- How else
- The best way
- Is there any other way
- It doesn’t get any better
- There’s nothing better
- There’s nothing quite like
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “What better way” is a grammatically correct but idiomatic phrase that is best suited for informal settings.
- To change up your phrasing, you can use “nothing beats” as an informal alternative.
- As a formal alternative, you can use “how best.”
Don’t click away! In the next section, we’ll discuss our favorite formal and informal synonyms for “what better way.”
Thereafter, we’ll talk about whether “what better way” is grammatically correct.
How Best (Formal)
If you’re trying to figure out how to say “what better way” in professional circumstances, our favorite formal synonym is “how best.”
This phrase differs slightly from the original, as it is posing a genuine question rather than a rhetorical one. This may therefore make it more suitable in formal circumstances, as it is less idiomatic.
Nonetheless, like the original phrase, this phrase is asking for the best option in a given situation.
To see this phrase in action, consider the examples below.
Dear Raheesa,
I hear your concerns regarding Mr. Claw’s conduct.
I will reach out to HR to determine how best to remedy the situation.
Kind regards,
Abella Risk
The question we’re posing today is how best we can serve our clientele.
Nothing Beats (Informal)
Another way to say “what better way” is “nothing beats.” This informal alternative essentially suggests what the best option is, just like the original phrase.
Although this isn’t a better phrase than “what better way,” it is less rhetorical and more straightforward. As such, you can use it to make your position clear.
Nonetheless, this phrase is no less idiomatic than the original, so we wouldn’t recommend using it in formal correspondence. It is best suited for more casual conversations.
Consider the following examples, for instance:
Nothing beats a brand-new notepad, am I right?
I like a calm day at work, but nothing beats the adrenaline of a busy one.
Is It Correct to Say “What Better Way”?
“What better way” is a grammatically correct phrase that poses a rhetorical question about how great one option is.
As it is an idiomatic phrase, it is best suited for informal circumstances.
For example:
- What better way to show the uniqueness of our love than to attach a generic padlock to a bridge covered in padlocks?
Below you can find some more examples of how this phrase can be extended to fit specific contexts:
- What better way to spend the day than
- What better way to start the day than
- What better way to celebrate than
- What better way than to
You will have noticed that, in each example, we used “than” rather than “then.” This is the only correct version of the phrase, as “than” is a conjunction used for comparison while “then” indicates time.
Since we are comparing ways to do something in this phrase, “than” is the correct homophone to use.
You may also have noticed the phrase “what better way than to.” This phrase is considered correct in some contexts, even though the syntax is different from the other examples. It is best to illustrate how this phrasing might work with an example:
- Person 1: How are we going to teach him a lesson?
- Person 2: Well, what better way than to give him a taste of his own medicine?
In conclusion, “what better way” is grammatically correct and most suited to informal settings.
If you find our list of synonyms helpful, why not bookmark this page to keep them on hand?