surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas 

surpassed; surpassing; surpasses

transitive verb

1

: to become better, greater, or stronger than : exceed

surpassed her rivals

surpassed all expectations

2

: to go beyond : overstep

3

: to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of

a beauty that surpasses description

surpassable

sər-ˈpa-sə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• beat
• better
• eclipse
• exceed
• excel
• outclass
• outdistance
• outdo
• outgun
• outmatch
• outshine
• outstrip
• overtop
• top
• tower (over)
• transcend

Choose the Right Synonym for surpass

exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree.

exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

Examples of surpass in a Sentence

Attendance is expected to surpass last year's record.

Last quarter, sales surpassed two million.

His work regularly surpasses all expectations.

Recent Examples on the Web

Here are a few top categories: Cars and car parts Mexico was the United States’ top goods trading partner last year, surpassing China. —Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024

For the first time, the National Health Service's (NHS) annual budget has surpassed an eye-watering £200 billion. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024

Performance using the flagship Core 9 Ultra 285K was good in most of our test suite, matching or surpassing the previous-generation Core i9-14900K in several tests. —PCMAG, 27 Nov. 2024

If Singapore is going to surpass Hong Kong as a financial hub, core to its strategy is wealth management. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French surpasser, from sur- + passer to pass

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas 

1

: to be greater, better, or stronger than

2

: to go beyond the reach, powers, or capacity of

surpassable

-ə-bəl 

adjective