excel
verb (used without object)
to surpass others or be superior in some respect or area; do extremely well.
had excelled
-
past perfectof excel.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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 seven attendees, who ranged from their mid 30s to their late 50s, had excelled in lucrative fields like finance, consulting, healthcare and tech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
A lot of them had excelled in school: We talked to a boy that had just won a spelling bee, for example.
From Slate ● Mar. 20, 2026
His family said he had "excelled" at Newport County's academy and had been a "very well-mannered and loving boy".
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2023
He came from Quebec, the cradle of standout goalies, and he had excelled in the high-scoring Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2023
He had excelled at Franklin, but he never really felt challenged by his teachers.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
