surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas How to pronounce surpass (audio)
surpassed; surpassing; surpasses

transitive verb

1
: to become better, greater, or stronger than : exceed
surpassed her rivals
surpassed all expectations
2
: to go beyond : overstep
3
: to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of
a beauty that surpasses description
surpassable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for surpass

exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree.

exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

Examples of surpass in a Sentence

Attendance is expected to surpass last year's record. Last quarter, sales surpassed two million. His work regularly surpasses all expectations.
Recent Examples on the Web The Warriors had this game circled for at least a week: their I-5 rivals in enemy territory, with a chance to surpass them in the standings and take a step toward a coveted tie-breaker. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 As of March 15, 2024, there have been nine lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2024 But that number will probably be surpassed in the days and weeks ahead. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Russia’s trade with both countries in 2023 surpassed its prewar trade with the European Union, which stood at $282 billion in 2021. Ivan Nechepurenko Sergey Ponomarev, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Biden surpassed that threshold after winning Georgia's Democratic primary, and Trump reached the milestone after winning Washington state's GOP primary. USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 Trump dominated the Republican field without ever debating any of his primary opponents, and none of them ever surpassed him in early-state polling. Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024 Mac & Cheese 5 is French Montana’s fourth top 10-charting effort on Top Album Sales and his highest-charting set yet, surpassing the No. 4 peak of his three earlier top 10 sets. Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 9 Mar. 2024 Who is Amazon founder Jeff Bezos? Bezos, who founded Amazon in 1994 and is currently its chairman, recently surpassed Elon Musk to reclaim the title of World's Richest Man for the first time since 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surpass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French surpasser, from sur- + passer to pass

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surpass was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near surpass

Cite this Entry

“Surpass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surpass. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

surpass

verb
sur·​pass sər-ˈpas How to pronounce surpass (audio)
1
: to be greater, better, or stronger than
2
: to go beyond the reach, powers, or capacity of
surpassable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on surpass

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