rise above
phrasal verb
rose above; risen above; rising above; rises above
1
: to not allow oneself to be hurt or controlled by (something bad or harmful)
It's time to rise above petty bickering/politics.
2
: to be or become better than (something)
The quality of the food never rises above average.
Examples of rise above in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The film claims to be a comedy but does not even attempt to rise above judgmental statements passed off as jokes and slapstick comedy.
—
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
The only player the Twins acquired in the deal was Matt Mikulski, a 26-year-old left-hander who has yet to rise above A-ball.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
January 2025 Five of Wands: January’s energy will encourage you to rise above challenges and find a sense of peace in the midst of chaos, Pisces.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2025
Sparks and a loud roar followed as rocket and passenger rose above the pond.
—Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rise above
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
The only player the Twins acquired in the deal was Matt Mikulski, a 26-year-old left-hander who has yet to rise above A-ball.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
January 2025 Five of Wands: January’s energy will encourage you to rise above challenges and find a sense of peace in the midst of chaos, Pisces.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2025
Sparks and a loud roar followed as rocket and passenger rose above the pond.
—Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rise above
Cite this Entry
“Rise above.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rise%20above. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share