exceed
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to be greater, as in quantity or degree.
-
to surpass others; excel or be superior.
verb
-
to be superior to (a person or thing), esp in size or quality; excel
-
(tr) to go beyond the limit or bounds of
to exceed one's income
exceed a speed limit
-
to be greater in degree or quantity than (a person or thing)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exceed
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English exceden, from Latin excēdere “to go out, go beyond”; equivalent to ex- 1 + cede
Explanation
To exceed is to go beyond expectations, or to go too far. If you exceed the speed limit, you might get a speeding ticket. Exceed and excess share the Latin root excedere meaning to "go beyond." An excess is too much of something, like the piles of candy after Halloween, and exceed means the action of going too far in a good or bad way. You exceed in school when you get straight A's. When Dr. Jekyll transforms into Mr. Hyde, he experiences "a grinding in the bones, deadly nausea, and a horror of the spirit that cannot be exceeded at the hour of birth or death." No thanks! It helps to remember that like speed, exceed ends with -eed.
Vocabulary lists containing exceed
Power Prefix: ex-
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The Bill of Rights
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 3
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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.
“I would usually tell people that until you exceed one or two times your annual income, I wouldn’t worry too much about diversification,” he says.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
This would exceed the current highest recorded May temperature of 32.8C, set in 1944.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
The ministry said it hopes the U.S. will honor its commitments and ensure tariff levels on Chinese goods do not exceed those agreed at the October meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
Analysts project GE Aerospace’s defense engine deliveries to exceed 1,000 units by 2028, driven by hypersonic propulsion and autonomous aircraft.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
“She’s right. It’s just that most really good-looking people are stupid, so I exceed expectations.”
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
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.
