transcendent

adjective

tran·​scen·​dent tran(t)-ˈsen-dənt 

1

a

: exceeding usual limits : surpassing

b

: extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience

c

in Kantian philosophy : being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge

2

: being beyond comprehension

3

: transcending the universe or material existence compare immanent sense 2

4

: universally applicable or significant

the antislavery movement … recognized the transcendent importance of liberty

—L. H. Tribe

transcendently adverb

Did you know?

The Latin verb scandere means "to climb", so transcend has the basic meaning of climbing so high that you cross some boundary. A transcendent experience is one that takes you out of yourself and convinces you of a larger life or existence; in this sense, it means something close to "spiritual". The American writers and thinkers known as the Transcendentalists, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, believed in the unity of all creation, the basic goodness of humankind, and the superiority of spiritual vision over mere logic. When we speak of the transcendent importance of an issue such as climate change, we may mean that everything else on earth actually depends on it.

Synonyms

• metaphysical
• otherworldly
• paranormal
• preternatural
• supernatural
• transcendental
• unearthly

Examples of transcendent in a Sentence

a firm belief in angels, demons, and other transcendent beings

the star player's transcendent performance helped the team to a surprise victory

Recent Examples on the Web

Lindsay Gottlieb coaches two of the best players in the game — Watkins, the transcendent playmaker who leads the conference in scoring, and Iriafen, an interior force snagging almost five offensive boards per outing. —Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

And Moore, in those frames, is transcendent, her expression ecstatic and maniacal and unhinged. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2025

The actor, who stars as Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic, wanted to align her transcendent personal style with her awards show look. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025

Those artists whose work expressed what appeared to be an unexamined faith in art’s transcendent potential were seen as ideologically naive, insufficiently theorized, and dismissible. —David A. Ross, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin transcendent-, transcendens, present participle of transcendere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

transcendent

adjective

tran·​scen·​dent tran(t)s-ˈen-dənt 

1

: superior to or going beyond the usual : extraordinary

2

: going beyond the limits of ordinary experience