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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

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The Avenue of Flags—a collection marking the country’s fifty states, one district, and four territories—acts as a promenade toward the Grand View Terrace, where the sixty foot portraits of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln rise above a large pile of rubble. Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 Etsy trend experts have been digging into what’s hot for the holidays this year, and one trend is rising above all the rest. Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2025 More profoundly, the BBC functions as a sort of national glue, sitting alongside institutions like the monarchy that are supposed to rise above politics and provide a common reference point for the whole country. Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025 With a dynamic mix of heritage buildings, Roman ruins and bustling markets, the area offers an authentic Middle Eastern urban backdrop, with the Citadel and Roman Theater — both rising above the city’s layered streets — also ideal for both period and contemporary shoots. Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rise above

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Cite this Entry

“Rise above.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rise%20above. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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