At the best of times Meaning in English
expression
AT thuh BEST uhv TYMZ
AT thuh BEST ov TYMZ
Definition
Used to say that something is difficult, unpleasant, or not very good, even when conditions are ideal.
Usage & Nuances
This is an informal, often negative-sounding phrase. Commonly follows statements about regular difficulty or unpleasantness (e.g., 'I'm not a morning person at the best of times'). Often used for emphasis when things are even worse than usual.
Spanish: ni siquiera en el mejor de los casos - ni en las mejores circunstanciasPortuguese (BR): nem nos melhores momentosPortuguese (PT): nem nos melhores momentosChinese (Simplified): 即使在最好的情况下Chinese (Traditional): 即使在最好的情況下Hindi: सबसे अच्छे हालात में भीArabic: حتى في أفضل الأوقاتBengali: সর্বোত্তম পরিস্থিতিতেও - ভালো পরিস্থিতিতেওRussian: в лучшем случае - даже при лучших условияхJapanese: どんなに良い時でも - 普段でもVietnamese: ngay cả trong điều kiện tốt nhấtKorean: 평소에도 - 가장 좋을 때조차Turkish: en iyi ihtimalle - işler yolundayken bileUrdu: بہترین حالات میں بھیIndonesian: bahkan dalam kondisi terbaik sekalipun
Example Sentences
I find driving stressful at the best of times.
basic
The internet here is slow at the best of times.
basic
The room feels cold at the best of times.
basic
I'm not a fan of crowded places at the best of times, so festivals are tough for me.
natural
Honestly, math isn’t my strong suit at the best of times.
natural
Getting a taxi here is hard at the best of times, let alone during rush hour.
natural