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.
In Texas, more than 7.7 million voters did so early, surpassing the record turnout for a midterm election set in 2018.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
Profit margins reached $42 a barrel in the third quarter, up from $24 a barrel between April and June, surpassing the previous record set after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to Bloomberg.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
ServiceNow reported revenue in the three months ended September of $4.106 billion, up 20.5% year-on-year and surpassing Wall Street consensus of $4.095 billion, according to FactSet.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Stripping out one-time items, third-quarter adjusted earnings came in at $6.57 a share, surpassing the average analyst target of $6.38 a share, as per FactSet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
There were women among them, dressed in gowns of surpassing loveliness.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
