at best meaning

• Adverb: at best
  1. Under the best of conditions
     "at best we'll lose only the money"
     - at the best

  Antonym: at worst

• 
  [American idiom]
  in the best view; in the most positive judgment; as the best one can say.
  • I believe her to be totally negligent. Her actions were careless at best.
  • At best we found their visit pleasantly short.
  • The dinner was not at all pleasant. At best the food was not burned.
  • At most she was careless, but not criminal.
  • We found their visit pleasingly short at most.
  
• 
  [American slang]
  in the most favorable view; in the most positive judgment; as the best one can say.
    At best we found their visit pleasantly short.
    The dinner was not at all pleasant. At best the food was not burned.
    At most there were three people in line ahead of me.
• 
  [Business]
  adverb

  (Stock Exchange ) sell/buy sth at best

  to sell or buy shares at the best possible price


[Economics]
An instruction to a broker to buy or sell shares, stocks, commodities, currencies, etc., as specified, at the best possible price at the time of transaction. It must be executed immediately irrespective of market movements.

Compare:

at limit.

• at the best:    Adverb: at the bes ...
• best:    Adjective: best&nb ...
• for the best:    Likely to have the ...

Examples

1. at best it was a disease-ridden barren country
2. but at best it was a doubtful business.
3. we can not arrive before friday at best.
4. we can not arrive before friday at best.
5. so-called truth is a nebulous thing at best.