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

Ahead of the final, The Athletic spoke to leading industry figures about how the two broadcasters have fared and where each has excelled. — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 18 July 2026

Both players excelled in their lone season at Miami, which wasn’t lost on Mensah. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026

May excelled in her studies, taking high-school-level math in junior high. — Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 18 July 2026

Part of what makes AI so useful in health and medicine is that the technology excels at identifying trends in large swaths of data, said Jason Droege, CEO of Scale AI, which worked with Mayo Clinic to develop Record Time. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 16 July 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