excel
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to be superior to (another or others); surpass
-
(intr; foll by in or at) to be outstandingly good or proficient
he excels at tennis
Related Words
Excel, outdo, surpass imply being better than others or being superior in achievement. To excel is to be superior in some quality, attainment, or performance: to excel opponents at playing chess. To outdo is to make more successful effort than others: to outdo competitors in the high jump. To surpass is to go beyond others, especially in a contest as to quality or ability: to surpass one's classmates in knowledge of corporation law.
Other Word Forms
- unexcelled adjective
- unexcelling adjective
Etymology
Origin of excel
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French exceller, from Latin excellere, equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + -cellere “to rise high, tower” (akin to celsus “high”)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The teens are part of Make Great Plays, a grassroots organization that gives elementary school students a chance to dream, excel and believe they belong in educational echelons that once felt out of reach.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
The data continue to show that medical-school students and graduates consistently excel at these critical junctures: Six-year graduation rates average 96.1%, and M.D. students and graduates steadily achieve high first-time pass rates on the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
There is also message to his son: "Go and excel in your classes, okay?"
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
Furthermore, managers who are managing many different funds may be stretched too thin to excel in any one of his funds.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
If she could come from a small town, as I had, to Langley and excel, I was certain that I could too.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
