as in exceeding
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 excelling
Third Future has established a reputation across its 12 campuses for excelling at improving student outcomes.
—
Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Mar. 2026
And Jordan's performances as Smoke and Stack are indeed confident and distinctive, not just in their different sartorial choices but in their mannerisms, with the actor excelling at portraying both Smoke's stoic practicality and Stack's swaggering charm.
—Ken Simmons, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Flagship smartphones have quietly become capable of astrophotography, with ‘night modes’ often excelling at revealing stars, the Milky Way and aurora.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Eva, 16, and Chase, 10, are excelling at school and the family is saving big.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Aubrey Meyer, Colerain High School Aubrey Meyer, a student at Colerain High School, has sought out the most challenging curriculum available, excelling in a full load of Honors and AP courses.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2026
But the sight of a Jew excelling in sports is even more than a bit of representational inspiration.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
The truth is, managing a game and operating within a system of offense are two of the most important things about excelling at the most demanding position in professional sports.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and Flanagan High are also known for excelling in competitions.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Mar. 2026
And Jordan's performances as Smoke and Stack are indeed confident and distinctive, not just in their different sartorial choices but in their mannerisms, with the actor excelling at portraying both Smoke's stoic practicality and Stack's swaggering charm.
—Ken Simmons, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Flagship smartphones have quietly become capable of astrophotography, with ‘night modes’ often excelling at revealing stars, the Milky Way and aurora.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Eva, 16, and Chase, 10, are excelling at school and the family is saving big.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Aubrey Meyer, Colerain High School Aubrey Meyer, a student at Colerain High School, has sought out the most challenging curriculum available, excelling in a full load of Honors and AP courses.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2026
But the sight of a Jew excelling in sports is even more than a bit of representational inspiration.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
The truth is, managing a game and operating within a system of offense are two of the most important things about excelling at the most demanding position in professional sports.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and Flanagan High are also known for excelling in competitions.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excelling
Verb
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An earlier December lawsuit had been dismissed by the judge, who said the organization did not sufficiently prove the president was exceeding his powers.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The market capitalization of a company like Apple in December 2023 reached $3 trillion, exceeding the combined GDP of at least 140 countries.—
Sven van Mourik,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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More than 3,100 rallies are expected nationwide, surpassing the totals of previous No Kings rallies.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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Goodreau set a Division III single-season record with her 18th power-play goal, surpassing the mark set by Elmira’s Cassidy Delainey in 2015.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The shutdown of Homeland Security will reach 44 days on Sunday, eclipsing the record 43-day shutdown last fall that affected all of the federal government.—
Kevin Freking,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Gas prices are eclipsing $6 per gallon for regular unleaded at some local stations.—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Heat at times looked like a juggernaut against tankers this season, topping 140 points in four of those games and reaching 150 in Adebayo’s 83-point game against Washington.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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Instead of major hubs like New York or Los Angeles topping the list, smaller and mid-sized cities dominated the rankings.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excelling. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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