as in surpassed
to be greater, better, or stronger than
the special effects in this new sci-fi extravaganza excel any that we've seen previously
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Recent Examples of excelled
In the playoffs, Fletcher excelled.
—
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 June 2026
However, there really was only one quarter of the game that the Knicks excelled.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
The skilled, enigmatic forward excelled in the regular season, scoring 21 goals in 69 games, which established him as one of the Oilers’ critical secondary scorers.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Prince also excelled at crafting perfect song endings, and this is undoubtedly one of his best.
—Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
Yeung excelled in math at school, and software engineering felt like a natural career path after her older brother suggested it.
—Mike Winters
mickey Todiwala, CNBC, 4 June 2026
An aspiring aerospace engineer, Pepich has excelled in rigorous courses such as engineering and computer science, AP literature and language, and AP calculus.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Like Herbig, Porter has excelled during his relatively brief time in the NFL.
—CBS News, 2 June 2026
The research found that the region particularly excelled in comfort and relaxation due to its high concentration of four-star and above hotels.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 June 2026
However, there really was only one quarter of the game that the Knicks excelled.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
The skilled, enigmatic forward excelled in the regular season, scoring 21 goals in 69 games, which established him as one of the Oilers’ critical secondary scorers.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Prince also excelled at crafting perfect song endings, and this is undoubtedly one of his best.
—Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
Yeung excelled in math at school, and software engineering felt like a natural career path after her older brother suggested it.
—Mike Winters
mickey Todiwala, CNBC, 4 June 2026
An aspiring aerospace engineer, Pepich has excelled in rigorous courses such as engineering and computer science, AP literature and language, and AP calculus.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Like Herbig, Porter has excelled during his relatively brief time in the NFL.
—CBS News, 2 June 2026
The research found that the region particularly excelled in comfort and relaxation due to its high concentration of four-star and above hotels.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excelled
Verb
-
Seven decades later that number has climbed to seventy-three, while those in the richest nations have surpassed an average of over fourscore years, a number the Bible reserves for only the most vigorous among us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
What made this system truly revolutionary was the demonstration in 2012 that it could be reprogrammed with different pieces of guide RNA to edit virtually any genome in any species, and at a level of precision and ease that far surpassed existing gene-editing tools.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Twice in the ‘70s, total volume exceeded one million acre-feet.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
-
Now, more than a year after bringing the project to life, DeCarlo says the investment has exceeded expectations.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
New York had never trailed by more than 22 points in these playoffs, but that mark has been eclipsed three times already by San Antonio, which has led by 23, 24 and now 25 points in a jaw-dropping performance.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
-
Those matchups and the Ole Miss game all handily eclipsed 2024’s highest sales game (Tennessee, $762K).—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Afterward, locals recommend stopping at Lake Hollywood Park for fresh fruit topped with Tajín and chamoy.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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The sleek blue aluminum hull is topped by a low, streamlined superstructure made of Brazilian teak and twin towering masts.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excelled. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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