surpass
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to be greater than in degree, extent, etc
-
to be superior to in achievement or excellence
-
to overstep the limit or range of
the theory surpasses my comprehension
Related Words
See excel.
Other Word Forms
- surpassable adjective
- surpasser noun
- unsurpassable adjective
- unsurpassed adjective
Etymology
Origin of surpass
First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French surpasser; equivalent to sur- 1 + pass
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 Bears surpassed expectations this season to win the NFC North division in Ben Johnson's first year as head coach and claim the NFC's second seed.
From BBC
Alphabet stock gains, putting the company on pace to become the world’s second-largest U.S. company by market capitalization, surpassing Apple.
From Barron's
Last year, M&A activity in the sector surpassed $100 billion, which was more than double the amount recorded in 2024, according to RBC Capital Markets.
Yet overall, Altadena’s recovery is surpassing expectations, in part because Los Angeles County cut bureaucratic red tape for rebuilding.
The American, twice a runner-up in the first Grand Slam event of the year, will surpass the record of Japan's Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she played at the event in 2015.
From BBC
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.
