surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas 

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

sər-ˈpa-sə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms of surpass

• exceed

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

Love ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns this past season for the Fighting Irish, while surpassing 100 yards in six of his 14 showings. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Bella Abrams surpassed 100 career hits, driving in three runs and scoring twice while Miley DelCarmen went the distance and hit a two-run home run as East Bridgewater (5-2) defeated Hanover 13-6 in a nonleague contest. —Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

But in 2023, Chinese automakers surpassed Western rivals’ China car sales for the first time, the Wall Street Journal reported. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026

Looking ahead, Isaac flagged that Meta is on pace to surpass Google in ad revenue for the first time this year, and that consumers increasingly begin searches on AI tools rather than traditional search engines. —Kennedy French, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French surpasser, from sur- + passer to pass

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for surpass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• chagas
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse

Kids Definition

surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas 

1

: to be greater, better, or stronger than

2

: to go beyond the reach, powers, or capacity of

surpassable

-ə-bəl 

adjective