as in surpasses
to be greater, better, or stronger than
the special effects in this new sci-fi extravaganza excel any that we've seen previously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of excels
Like his father, the younger Tittle excels in track.
—
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Rookie phenom Roman Anthony leads a capable offense while Boston excels with a trio of talented starting pitchers in Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Focus On What Matters To You Not every school excels at every discipline.
—Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Walmart excels in everyday essentials, such as groceries and other household must-haves – the types of products people are likely to order with the press of a button on a regular basis.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Rather, Nathan excels as a kind of insider-outsider who’s tracking not just the matches but how the narratives around them take shape.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
Honer excels at making the deeply personal feel universal.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 18 Aug. 2025
The three-part series excels not just as a historical document but as a record the filmmakers themselves, who were irrevocably changed by the experience.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2025
The resort excels at helping guests reconnect—with themselves, with nature, and with their sense of adventure.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Rookie phenom Roman Anthony leads a capable offense while Boston excels with a trio of talented starting pitchers in Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Focus On What Matters To You Not every school excels at every discipline.
—Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Walmart excels in everyday essentials, such as groceries and other household must-haves – the types of products people are likely to order with the press of a button on a regular basis.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Rather, Nathan excels as a kind of insider-outsider who’s tracking not just the matches but how the narratives around them take shape.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
Honer excels at making the deeply personal feel universal.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 18 Aug. 2025
The three-part series excels not just as a historical document but as a record the filmmakers themselves, who were irrevocably changed by the experience.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2025
The resort excels at helping guests reconnect—with themselves, with nature, and with their sense of adventure.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excels
Verb
-
Overall, the original game holds up remarkably well and easily surpasses many modern stealth titles that aren't Hitman.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Entitlements Enforcement Implement the logic to throttle or cut off usage when credits run out or if a post-pay customer surpasses a risk threshold.—
Griffin Parry,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
While individual leaves can reach 18 inches long, the plant itself rarely exceeds 8 inches in height.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Sep. 2025
-
That footprint far exceeds the longtime 39% limit on ownership of stations, which had been kept in place by both Republican and Democratic administrations over the past three decades.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The set conquers one tally outright and nearly tops several others, giving the rock musicians another major win in a career already full of them.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Senior quarterback Emmett Dowling completes 25 of 43 passes for 382 yards and four TDs and hits Quentin Burrell for the winning 2-point conversion pass as Mount Carmel tops Moeller 43-42 in Ohio.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excels. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share