surpassing
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
- surpassingly adverb
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.
The lender’s revenue edged up 4% to 15.14 billion euros for the period, surpassing the consensus estimate of 15.00 billion euros.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Melange last year closed its first fund with $430 million, surpassing its initial target.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
Arm rose 13% to $230.89, which would mark its third all-time closing high in three consecutive sessions, surpassing its previous July 2024 peak.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Emarketer estimates that the company’s global net ad revenue will reach $243.46 billion in 2026, surpassing Google’s projected $239.54 billion for the first time.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
All agree that he was a youth of surpassing beauty and that this was the cause of his singular fate.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
