surpass

[ ser-pas, -pahs ]

See synonyms for: surpass surpasses surpassing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to go beyond in amount, extent, or degree; be greater than; exceed.
to go beyond in excellence or achievement; be superior to; excel: He surpassed his brother in sports.

to be beyond the range or capacity of; transcend: misery that surpasses description.

Origin of surpass

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French surpasser; equivalent to sur-¹ + pass

synonym study For surpass

2. See excel.

Other words for surpass

2	beat, outstrip

See synonyms for surpass on Thesaurus.com

Other words from surpass

sur·pass·a·ble, adjective
sur·pass·er, noun
un·sur·pass·a·ble, adjective
un·sur·passed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use surpass in a sentence

In 2014 the internet surpassed one billion websites and two billion is within reach.
The rise of vertical search engines | Andrew Bocskocsky | November 13, 2020 | Search Engine Watch
The average high temperature in Augusta this time of year is around 70, but the actual highs for the rest of this week are forecast to surpass that every day except Saturday.
Masters forecast looking wet early, which could pose problems later in the weekend | Matt Bonesteel | November 11, 2020 | Washington Post
Having said that, Baltimore actually surpassed Kansas City for No.
Did The Saints And Bills Show The Bucs And Seahawks Who The Real Contenders Are? | Sara Ziegler (sara.ziegler@fivethirtyeight.com) | November 9, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight
He said the rate of effectiveness surpassed the expectations of health experts.
Coronavirus spread hits record levels in Maryland, Virginia amid national spike | Dana Hedgpeth | November 9, 2020 | Washington Post
A price tag north of $300 million would surpass what Spotify paid for the Ringer and Gimlet Media, as well as what IHeartMedia paid for Stitcher.
Apple, Sony both discussed buying podcast network Wondery | Verne Kopytoff | November 6, 2020 | Fortune

Best not to act at all, if one can help it; and follow the Mayor of Grunberg's unsurpassable pattern!
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XII. (of XXI.) | Thomas Carlyle
The incomparable and unsurpassable, the grandest achievement of his architecture.
Treading the Narrow Way | R. E. Barrett
As a scenic route for tourists it is unsurpassable, threading its way amid many islands with abrupt and thrilling turns.
A Century of Sail and Steam on the Niagara River | Barlow Cumberland
Their control of their horses is unsurpassable, and greatly assisted by the natural docility of the animal itself.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 20. December, 1877. | Various
But even this love, unsurpassable in its tenderness, was only as a faint shadow in a thirsty land.
Name and Fame | Adeline Sergeant

British Dictionary definitions for surpass

surpass

/ (sɜːˈpɑːs) /

verb(tr)

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

Origin of surpass

C16: from French surpasser, from sur- 1 + passer to pass

Derived forms of surpass

surpassable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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