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.

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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

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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

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Other Word Forms

• beyondness noun

Etymology

Origin of beyond

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

Example Sentences

The first image shows an 'Earthrise' as the astronauts glimpsed our home planet peaking out beyond a cratered lunar landscape.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

"The risk of lasting damage to Iran's infrastructure and the immiseration of the population above and beyond what they're already experiencing is significant," he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

“Given the rate of AI progress, it will not be long before such capabilities proliferate, potentially beyond actors who are committed to deploying them safely.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

“It has gone well beyond the scope of what a lot of folks were intending.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The ledge he was standing on ended, and the floor beyond it was weirdly humped.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver