transcendence

noun

tran·​scen·​dence tran(t)-ˈsen-dən(t)s How to pronounce transcendence (audio)
Synonyms of transcendencenext
: the quality or state of being transcendent

Examples of transcendence in a Sentence

makes a case for the transcendence of Louis Armstrong's contributions to the field of jazz
Recent Examples on the Web
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As a composer and band leader, Wilkins shines with his soulful delivery, keen attention to detail and his willingness to stretch out in search of creative transcendence. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026 By inhabiting the same aesthetic ideals that the poètes maudits did, which were both inspirational for and infused within the punk movement, Hell manages to gesture at the sense of transcendence which fuelled his nineteenth-century forebears. Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026 Eighty or more minutes later at the end of the Agnus Dei, when the great plea for peace reaches its ultimate transcendence, up becomes, in one of the most profoundly unsettling moments in all music, down again. Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026 These movies, framed as tests of faith, are built around a literalization of the spirit of Job and Jesus — the Biblical figures who found transcendence by facing the worst that life could dish out. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for transcendence

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of transcendence was in 1601

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Cite this Entry

“Transcendence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transcendence. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

transcendence

noun
tran·​scen·​dence tran(t)s-ˈen-dən(t)s How to pronounce transcendence (audio)
: the quality or state of being transcendent

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