exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd 

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 by morning.

intransitive verb

1

: predominate

2

obsolete : overdo

Synonyms of exceed

• surpass

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

The true number of cases is in the thousands, clearly exceeding the country’s standard range of between 2,000 and 5,000 in recent years. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026

Temperatures could also exceed 100 degrees in the Inland Empire and some parts of San Diego County’s interior valleys and surpass 110 degrees in the deserts, said Sebastian Westerink, meteorologist with the weather service’s San Diego office. — Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Afternoon temperatures in the desert valleys will climb into the 108 to 114 degree range, and may exceed 115 along the Colorado River Valley and 120 in Death Valley. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026

Analysts estimate that by the end of the decade, digital imports could exceed the total value of Poland's imports of oil, gas and coal. — Lidia Kurasinska, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

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

Rhymes for exceed

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• flaxseed
• impede
• indeed

Kids Definition

exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd 

1

: to be greater than

the cost must not exceed ten dollars

2

: to go or be beyond the limit