exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd How to pronounce exceed (audio)
exceeded; exceeding; exceeds

transitive verb

1
: to be greater than or superior to
2
: to go beyond a limit set by
exceeded his authority
3
: to extend outside of
the river will exceed its banks
Choose the Right Synonym for exceed

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 exceed in a Sentence

The cost must not exceed 10 dollars. The cost exceeded our estimate. The demand for new housing has already exceeded the supply. He's trying to match or exceed last year's sales.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That number far exceeds any other program nationwide. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 July 2025 The asylum process in Mexico is supposed to take about three months, said Mejía from UNHCR, but the number of cases exceeds the capacity of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid to process them. Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025 When the optical gain in the cavity exceeds the optical losses, the system reaches the lasing threshold, emitting laser light. New Atlas, 13 July 2025 Using this dataset—which includes over 1,000 posts since 2022—Newsweek applied a filter to identify any posts where the number of replies exceeded both likes and shares. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for exceed

Word History

Etymology

Middle English exceden, from Middle French exceder, from Latin excedere, from ex- + cedere to go

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of exceed was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exceed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exceed. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

exceed

verb
ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd How to pronounce exceed (audio)
1
: to be greater than
the cost must not exceed ten dollars
2
: to go or be beyond the limit

More from Merriam-Webster on exceed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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