beyond

American  

[bee-ond, bih-yond] / biˈɒnd, bɪˈyɒnd /

preposition

1. on, at, or to the farther side of.

   Beyond those trees you'll find his house.

2. farther on than; more distant than.

   beyond the horizon;

   beyond the sea.

3. outside the understanding, limits, or reach of; past.

   beyond comprehension;

   beyond endurance;

   beyond help.

4. superior to; surpassing; above.

   wise beyond all others.

5. more than; in excess of; over and above.

   to stay beyond one's welcome.

---

adverb

1. farther on or away.

   as far as the house and beyond.

idioms

1. the beyond,

   1. that which is at a great distance.

   2. Also the great beyond the afterlife; life after death.

beyond British  

/ bɪˈjɒnd /

preposition

1. at or to a point on the other side of; at or to the further side of

   beyond those hills there is a river

2. outside the limits or scope of

   beyond this country's jurisdiction

---

adverb

1. at or to the other or far side of something

2. outside the limits of something

noun

1. the unknown; the world outside the range of human perception, esp life after death in certain religious beliefs

beyond More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing beyond

• above and beyond
• back of beyond
• can't see beyond the end of one's nose

---

Other Word Forms

• beyondness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of beyond

First recorded before 1000; Middle English beyonden, Old English begeondan. See be-, yond (adverb)

Explanation

Beyond is an adverb that means “in addition” or “farther along." If you’re headed to the silo beyond the barn, that means you’re going to the silo that’s on the far side of the barn. Beyond is related to the word yonder, which you might have heard in expressions like, “Over yonder hill, you’ll see a picket fence.” Yonder kind of means “that one over there, in the distance.” Beyond is past yonder. If you’re going above and beyond, it means you’re doing more than was expected. If you’re beyond Kelly in your math homework, it means you’ve done more than she has. And if the show was beyond your expectations, it was better than you had hoped.

Example Sentences

She added that the impact of rural crime extended "beyond financial loss, undermining trust and connection, often leaving a trauma that can remain with farmers, their families and wider communities for a lifetime".

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Typically, the IRS gets three years to audit a return, which would likely keep returns from tax years 2025 and beyond open to examination.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

He didn’t have much reason to despise Cornyn, beyond a stray comment here or there.

From Slate • May 30, 2026

"We found that caffeine can reverse these disruptions at both the molecular and behavioral levels. Its ability to do so suggests that caffeine's benefits may extend beyond simply helping us stay awake."

From Science Daily • May 30, 2026

The friendship that Duane had so hoped would blossom between the two of them had not yet progressed beyond occasional hellos.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el