surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas 

surpassed; surpassing; surpasses

transitive verb

1

: to become better, greater, or stronger than : exceed

surpassed her rivals

surpassed all expectations

2

: to go beyond : overstep

3

: to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of

a beauty that surpasses description

surpassable

sər-ˈpa-sə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms of surpass

• exceed

Choose the Right Synonym for surpass

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 surpass in a Sentence

Attendance is expected to surpass last year's record.

Last quarter, sales surpassed two million.

His work regularly surpasses all expectations.

Recent Examples on the Web

But in terms of student achievement, Asian students have performed more like white students, frequently surpassing white students academically. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Simulating real-world quantum errors Last year, JUPITER simulated a full 50-qubit universal quantum computer under ideal, noiseless conditions, surpassing the previous 48-qubit record established by Jülich researchers in 2019 on Japan’s K computer. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026

The incident is the first major attack involving the force, which surpassed more than 2,000 troops from contributing countries this weekend, with 4,000 more slated to arrive in coming months. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026

Since launching FitAI™ technology, the program has succeeded in surpassing more than two million shoe recommendations for shoppers across 500 retail locations, including Asics, Puma, DSW, Fit2Run and many more. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French surpasser, from sur- + passer to pass

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for surpass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse
• jackass

Kids Definition

surpass

verb

sur·​pass sər-ˈpas 

1

: to be greater, better, or stronger than

2

: to go beyond the reach, powers, or capacity of

surpassable

-ə-bəl 

adjective