transcendence

noun

tran·​scen·​dence tran(t)-ˈsen-dən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being transcendent

Synonyms of transcendence

• dominance
• superiority
• distinction
• supremacy
• reputation
• primacy

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

Langley’s closest sonic predecessor, Kacey Musgraves, has long searched for transcendence—though in more woo-woo terms than Langley does, and with (on Musgraves’s lusty new album) the sort of neediness that often gets written off as cringe. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026

Image description is not mystical or compensatory—not about transcendence. — Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

The real Nafisi is a beloved literary figure, a professor who has devoted the bulk of her life to evangelizing about the transcendence of Western literature in places where its liberal, humanist messages are much needed. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

The Case for Sugar Largely freed from the obligations of its wild twist, Sugar settles into a charming and goofy genre piece that occasionally achieves transcendence. — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing transcendence

• self-transcendence

Rhymes for transcendence

• ascendance
• attendance
• dependance
• dependence
• interdependence
• superintendence
• tendance

Kids Definition

transcendence

noun

tran·​scen·​dence tran(t)s-ˈen-dən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being transcendent