bests

Bests is the plural form of best used as a noun to denote items judged to be the most excellent in a given category. It is not common in modern standard English, where phrases like the best items, the top picks, or the year’s best are preferred. You may encounter “bests” in historical writing, marketing catchphrases, or stylistic headlines.

As a noun, best is normally an adjective; its use as a countable noun is rare and pluralized as bests only in specific contexts. The form works similarly to other abstract nouns treated as countable in certain registers, where a category’s bests refers to its most notable members. In formal prose, replacing with explicit nouns such as “the best items” or “the top picks” reduces ambiguity.

In practice, media and catalogs sometimes employ “bests” for brevity, branding, or punchy headlines. Examples include “The Bests of the Year” or “Bests: Top 10.” For everyday writing, it is usually better to avoid the term or to use clearer alternatives like “best items” or “top picks” to ensure transparency and readability.

See also: best, bestseller, top picks, best-of lists.