transcend

verb

tran·scend | \ tran(t)-ˈsend

How to pronounce transcend (audio)

\

transcended; transcending; transcends

Definition of transcend

transitive verb

1a : to rise above or go beyond the limits of

b : to triumph over the negative or restrictive aspects of : overcome

c : to be prior to, beyond, and above (the universe or material existence)

2 : to outstrip or outdo in some attribute, quality, or power

intransitive verb

: to rise above or extend notably beyond ordinary limits

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym When Should You Use transcend? Example Sentences Learn More about transcend

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Choose the Right Synonym for transcend

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 transcend in a Sentence

music that transcends cultural boundaries She was able to transcend her own suffering and help others. Her concerns transcended local issues.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are values that transcend partisan politics and unite people over squabbles about issues of social life and morality. — Julia Azari, Vox, "Collins’ speech shows that the guardrails were the problem all along," 6 Oct. 2018 But the core of the problem includes partisan politics and yet transcends partisan politics. — Will Bunch, Philly.com, "Some of the pictures of border kids that haunt me most are from 2014. Here's why | Will Bunch," 24 June 2018 Clearly, that chemistry transcended to the real world. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Kit Harington Says One of His Favorite "Game of Thrones" Scenes Was Rose Leslie's Death," 28 Apr. 2019 But this majestic cathedral has transcended that history, offering solace and an oasis of reflection to people of all backgrounds and religions, including me. — Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, "Notre-Dame Cathedral Symbolizes the Power of Architecture to Transform Lives," 16 Apr. 2019 But for many volunteers, Brexit’s impact on the country transcends those concerns. — Kelvin Chan, The Seattle Times, "Grassroots tech group takes startup approach to fight Brexit," 26 Mar. 2019 Lamar’s accomplished the tricky feat of transcending his native genre without ever shunning it, a level-up his hip-hop Salieri, Drake, likely covets. — Drew Lazor, Philly.com, "Kendrick Lamar looms large at his show at BB&T Pavilion," 9 June 2018 Yeah, and going back to the Transcendentalists and basically transcending your ... — Recode Staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Author Michael Pollan on Recode Decode," 22 May 2018 Humans are on the verge of transcending their relationship with the world around them. — John Nosta, Fortune, "Commentary: Can Technology Make Us Even More Human?," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'transcend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for transcend

Last Updated

7 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for transcend

The first known use of transcend was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for transcend

transcend

verb

English Language Learners Definition of transcend

formal : to rise above or go beyond the normal limits of (something)

See the full definition for transcend in the English Language Learners Dictionary

transcend

verb

tran·scend | \ tran-ˈsend

\

transcended; transcending

Kids Definition of transcend

1 : to rise above the limits of The music transcends cultural boundaries.

2 : to do better or more than The poem transcended all others in its beauty.

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