surmount
verb
sur·mount
sər-ˈmau̇nt 
surmounted; surmounting; surmounts
1
: to prevail over : overcome
surmount an obstacle
2
: to get to the top of : climb
3
: to stand or lie at the top of
4
obsolete
: to surpass in quality or attainment : excel
Did you know?
Our verb mount, meaning "ascend, get up onto", comes from the same Latin root as mountain, and we keep those images in mind when using surmount, since climbing up or over a mountain is a symbol of achievement. The word almost always refers to human effort, and almost always in a positive way; thus, we speak of surmounting difficulties, surmounting problems, surmounting hurdles, surmounting handicaps—you get the idea.
Examples of surmount in a Sentence
an Olympic swimmer who surmounted endless obstacles to achieve her goals
Recent Examples on the Web
The race starts and ends at the corner of Tait and Nicholson avenues, with the challenge of surmounting Cat’s Hill, which has a 23% incline.
—
Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
There were other barriers to surmount for the collaboration of Binoche and Khan to succeed, relating to race, gender, and privilege.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Especially noteworthy were the women staff members, many of whom had surmounted layers of education and language training to assume their roles.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
Carlson also missed the excitement Friday, when the Ducks surmounted deficits of 2-1 and 5-4, scoring in the final minute before withstanding a barrage – and a four-on-three power play – in overtime to edge past the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surmount
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Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
There were other barriers to surmount for the collaboration of Binoche and Khan to succeed, relating to race, gender, and privilege.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Especially noteworthy were the women staff members, many of whom had surmounted layers of education and language training to assume their roles.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
Carlson also missed the excitement Friday, when the Ducks surmounted deficits of 2-1 and 5-4, scoring in the final minute before withstanding a barrage – and a four-on-three power play – in overtime to edge past the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surmount
Cite this Entry
“Surmount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surmount. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surmount
verb
sur·mount
sər-ˈmau̇nt
1
: overcome sense 1
surmount an obstacle
2
: to get to the top of : climb
3
: to stand or lie at the top of : crown
a weather vane surmounts the roof
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