excel

verb

ex·​cel ik-ˈsel 

excelled; excelling

transitive verb

: to be superior to : surpass in accomplishment or achievement

intransitive verb

: to be distinguishable by superiority : surpass others

excel in sports

excelled at lipreading

Synonyms of excel

• exceed
• surpass
• better
• eclipse
• top

Choose the Right Synonym for excel

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 excel in a Sentence

She excels everyone else in sports.

the special effects in this new sci-fi extravaganza excel any that we've seen previously

Recent Examples on the Web

These athletes spend their lives focusing on building physical strength through rigorous training and diets that are honed to provide the nutrients necessary to excel at their sport. —Emily Hemendinger, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026

These jobs require a certain level of skill in addition to a workforce that excels at hands-on labor. —Brian Moody, AJC.com, 13 Feb. 2026

Chinese companies have excelled at rapid deployment in consumer-facing applications and integrating AI into industrial use, said Deepika Giri, head of AI research at market research firm IDC. —John Liu, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026

Student of the Week offers schools the chance to celebrate teens who have placed in an art, dance or music competition, excelled in a science fair, won an essay contest, received a scholarship, were recognized for their volunteer service or were a star in some other way. —Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 10 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English excellen, from Latin excellere, from ex- + -cellere to rise, project; akin to Latin collis hill — more at hill

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing excel

• excel oneself

Rhymes for excel

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

excel

verb

ex·​cel ik-ˈsel 

excelled; excelling

: to do or be better than others : surpass

a student who excels in sports

excels her brother at tennis