exceed

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verb ex·ceed \ik-ˈsēd\

: to be greater or more than (something) : to be better than (something)

: to go beyond the limit of (something)

Full Definition of EXCEED

transitive verb

1

:  to extend outside of <the river will exceed its banks>

2

:  to be greater than or superior to

3

:  to go beyond a limit set by <exceeded his authority>

intransitive verb

1

obsolete :  overdo

2

:  predominate

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Examples of EXCEED

1. The cost must not exceed 10 dollars.
2. The cost exceeded our estimate.
3. The demand for new housing has already exceeded the supply.
4. He's trying to match or exceed last year's sales.

Origin of EXCEED

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to EXCEED

Synonyms

break, outreach, outrun, overpass, overreach, overrun, overshoot, overstep, surpass, transcend

Related Words

encroach, entrench (also intrench), infringe, invade, trespass; overdo, overuse, overutilize, overwork

Near Antonyms

lose (to)

Synonym Discussion of 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>.

Rhymes with EXCEED

accede, airspeed, bindweed, birdseed, blueweed, bourride, breast-feed, bur reed, burweed, cheerlead, chickweed, concede, crossbreed, cudweed, debride, degreed, duckweed, fairlead, fern seed, fireweed, flaxseed, force-feed, free reed, Godspeed, ground speed, gulfweed, half-breed, hand-feed, hawkweed, hayseed, high-speed, horseweed, impede, implead, inbreed, indeed, ironweed, Jamshid, jetbead, knapweed, knotweed, linseed, lip-read, milkweed, misdeed, mislead, misread, moonseed, nosebleed, off-speed, oilseed, pigweed, pinweed, pokeweed, pondweed, precede, proceed, proofread, ragweed, rapeseed, recede, reseed, rockweed, seaweed, secede, self-feed, Siegfried, sight-read, silkweed, smartweed, snakeweed, sneezeweed, speed-read, spoon-feed, stall-feed, stampede, stickseed, stickweed, stinkweed, succeed, ten-speed, tickseed, warp speed, weak-kneed, witchweed, wormseed