- present participle of surpass.
surpassing
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of surpassing
Explanation
Something that's surpassing is exceptional or outstanding — much better or more than usual. A scene of surpassing hilarity in a movie might make you laugh until tears run down your face. The adjective surpassing is a bit old fashioned, and you're most likely to read it in a novel or poem. Its most common use is in the phrase "surpassing beauty," or exceptional beauty. A poet might reflect on the surpassing beauty of the sunset over the ocean, for example. To surpass is to "go beyond," from the prefix sur-, "beyond," and the Old French verb passer, "to go by."
Vocabulary lists containing surpassing
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.
Copernicus said -- surpassing by 0.01C the previous all-time monthly record set in July 2023.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
She absorbed the bulk of pressure, provided the model and set the standard her younger sister spent a lifetime chasing, and eventually surpassing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Palo Alto Networks expects between $3.30 billion to $3.31 billion in revenue for the fiscal first quarter, surpassing the $3.22 billion analysts were expecting.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Any potential move would likely be a club record deal, surpassing the £116m paid for Elliot Anderson earlier this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Few supported these efforts to put a woman in space, but after American John Glenn orbited the Earth, the Soviets feared the United States was catching up or even surpassing them in the Space Race.
From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson
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.
