Other Ways to Say What Better Way (With Examples)

On this page13 sections

1. Quick picker
2. How "what better way" is built
3. Statements that say "this is the best option"
4. Other rhetorical questions
5. Where better, when better, who better
6. Idioms and casual phrases
7. Formal and academic wording
8. Rewrites by context
9. Longer examples: a toast, an invitation and a post
10. When to use it – and when it's a cliché
11. Common mistakes
12. Practice
13. Quick answers

Good alternatives to “what better way” are “there’s no better way to… than…”, “nothing beats…”, “… is the perfect way to…” and “can you think of a better way to…?” They keep the same message – this is the best option – but let you choose between a question and a statement, and between a casual and a formal tone. For a place, a time or a person, English has ready-made versions: where better, when better and who better.

“What better way to X than Y?” is a rhetorical question: nobody expects an answer, because the answer is “there isn’t one.” That is why the swaps below are mostly statements of “Y is best” – and why some phrases that look similar, such as “Is there a better way?”, actually mean something different (more on that under mistakes).

Quick picker

How “what better way” is built

The full pattern is What better way to + verb + than + the best option? The best option can take three forms, all correct:

• “What better way to see the coast than to cycle it?” (infinitive)
• “What better way to see the coast than cycling it?” / “than by cycling it?” (-ing form)
• “What better way to end the evening than with a good book?” (a phrase with with)

The than part can be dropped when the context already names the option: “We’re throwing a party on the roof. What better way to welcome summer?” Some writers end it with an exclamation mark (“What better way to start the weekend!”) to show it is not a real question; a question mark is the standard choice.

Knowing the structure matters because each alternative below rearranges it: some put the best option first (“Nothing beats a beach day”), some keep the question, and some turn it into a plain claim you would have to support in an essay.

Statements that say “this is the best option”

These turn the question into a direct claim. They are the easiest swap and work almost everywhere.

• There’s no better way to… than… – the closest statement version. “There’s no better way to understand a culture than to share its food.”
• Nothing beats… – casual, enthusiastic. “Nothing beats a cup of tea after a cold walk.”
• You can’t beat… – conversational. “For a cheap holiday, you can’t beat a week of camping.”
• … is the perfect way to… – warm; common in invitations and announcements. “A family quiz is the perfect way to end the reunion.”
• … is the ideal way to… – slightly more formal than perfect. “Short daily sessions are the ideal way to learn vocabulary.”
• … is the best way to… – plain and neutral. “Reading aloud is the best way to catch clumsy sentences.”
• There’s nothing like… for… – personal and a bit nostalgic. “There’s nothing like a long train ride for clearing your head.”
• Few things… better than… – measured, good in writing. “Few things build a team’s trust better than a project they finish together.”
• It doesn’t get (much) better than… – relaxed, often spoken. “Sun, sea and a free afternoon – it doesn’t get better than this.”
• … couldn’t be better for… – focuses on fit. “The old library couldn’t be better for a book launch.”

Other rhetorical questions

If you like the question form – it invites the reader to agree – these keep it:

• Can you think of a better way to…? – friendly and direct. “Can you think of a better way to thank volunteers than a free lunch?”
• What could be better than…? – the option comes first. “What could be better than a long weekend in the mountains?”
• Is there any better way to… than…? – any keeps it rhetorical; without it, the question can sound genuine. “Is there any better way to learn to swim than in the sea?”
• How better to… than…? – formal, literary; common in speeches. “How better to mark fifty years than with the people who built the company?”
• What more could you ask for? – placed after the description. “A garden, a fireplace and a five-minute walk to the station. What more could you ask for?”

Where better, when better, who better

When the best option is a place, a time or a person, swap what better way for these. They sound far more natural than forcing “way” into the sentence:

“When better than now?” is a common short form used to push someone to act: “You’ve talked about learning guitar for years. When better than now?”

Idioms and casual phrases

• That’s the way to go. – approves a choice someone made. “Booking early? That’s the way to go.”
• That’s just the ticket. – a little old-fashioned; means “exactly what’s needed.” “A hot bath after that hike? Just the ticket.”
• … is the answer. – the standard advertising frame, after a question. “Need a quiet weekend away? The Lake District is the answer.”
• …, hands down. – “without question.” “Best way to see Rome? On foot, hands down.”
• … is right up your street / alley. – for an option that suits the listener. “A cooking class would be right up your street.”
• Two birds, one stone. – when one choice achieves two goals. “Cycling to work: exercise and no traffic. Two birds, one stone.”

For more expressions built on the idea of “the best”, see idioms for perfect and idioms for best.

Formal and academic wording

In essays, reports and proposals, a rhetorical question can look like a claim you haven’t proved. Replace it with a statement you can back up:

• The most effective way to… is… – “The most effective way to cut waiting times is to add a second triage desk.”
• … offers the clearest route to… – “Pilot testing offers the clearest route to a reliable survey.”
• … is particularly well suited to… – “Interviews are particularly well suited to sensitive topics.”
• … is arguably the best means of… – “Arguably” signals that you will defend the claim.
• One of the strongest arguments for… is… – useful when there are several options.

Notice that “the most effective” and “arguably the best” make a claim that needs evidence after it. “What better way?” hides that need, which is why teachers often mark it down in essays.

Rewrites by context

Longer examples: a toast, an invitation and a post

Seen in a full piece of writing, the alternatives are easier to judge. Each example below uses one phrase from this page and avoids repeating it.

A wedding toast: “I’ve known Leo since we were seven, when he talked me into building a raft that sank in ten seconds. Who better to tell you he never gives up? Tonight he’s found someone just as stubborn and twice as kind. There’s no better way to start a marriage than with a best friend – so please raise your glasses to Leo and Hana.”

A community invitation: “The new park opens on 4 May. Bring a blanket, a picnic and the neighbours you haven’t met yet – an afternoon outdoors is the perfect way to welcome the summer. Music starts at two.”

A short social post: “First frost, first fire of the year, and a stack of library books. It doesn’t get much better than this.”

In each one, the “best option” phrase appears once, near the end, after the details have earned it. That placement is what keeps it from sounding like an advert.

When to use it – and when it’s a cliché

“What better way” is fine in invitations, announcements, toasts and light social posts: it sounds friendly and enthusiastic. It works less well:

• As an essay opener. “What better way to begin than with a definition?” is a well-known filler opening. Start with your point instead.
• Twice in one piece. Readers notice the second one immediately. Use one of the statement forms for the second.
• For something serious. “What better way to remember the victims than with a 5K run?” can sound flippant. Prefer “We will remember them with…”.
• When there clearly are better ways. The phrase claims there is no better option; if a reader can think of one at once, it sounds like empty hype.

Common mistakes

A note on the to in “to improve”: it is the infinitive marker, not a preposition, which is why it is followed by the base verb (to improve, not to improving).

Practice

A. Rewrite each sentence without “what better way”. Keep the meaning.

1. What better way to welcome new members than a coffee morning? (invitation)
2. What better way to learn history than to visit the battlefield? (essay)
3. What better way to spend a snow day than sledging? (casual)
4. What better place to propose than the beach where they met? (place)
5. What better person to lead the project than Sam, who designed the first version? (person)

Sample answers: 1 – A coffee morning is the perfect way to welcome new members. 2 – Visiting the battlefield is arguably the most effective way to learn this period of history, because… 3 – Nothing beats sledging on a snow day. 4 – Where better to propose than the beach where they met? 5 – Who better to lead the project than Sam, who designed the first version?

B. Correct or not?

1. What a better way to start the day than a run?
2. When better to apply than now, while the fees are low?
3. What better way to end the meal than with homemade tiramisu?
4. Is there a better way to say thank you than flowers? (meant as “flowers are best”)

Answers: 1 – incorrect: drop a. 2 – correct. 3 – correct. 4 – grammatical, but it sounds like a genuine question; use “Is there any better way…” or “There’s no better way to say thank you than flowers.”

Quick answers

What can I say instead of “what better way”? “There’s no better way to… than…”, “Nothing beats…”, “… is the perfect way to…” or “Can you think of a better way…?”

Is “what better way” a question? It is a rhetorical question – it expects no answer. A question mark is standard; an exclamation mark is sometimes used in casual writing.

Is it “than to”, “than by” or “than with”? All three are correct: “than to walk”, “than by walking” / “than walking”, and “than with a walk”.

Can I use it in formal writing? In speeches and announcements, yes. In essays and reports, a statement you can support (“the most effective way to… is…”) is usually better.

Related pages: figurative language covers rhetorical devices in general, and similes for perfect has more ways to describe a perfect choice.