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
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Recent Examples of excels
But there’s a friction between the core Lumines experience, which excels on mobile, and the bigger aspirations that Arise has for its vision.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Sam Martin excels early Punter Sam Martin rarely gets his due, but Sunday’s spectacular outing can’t go unnoticed.
—Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2025
Not everyone will say those words outright, but the series, created by Megan Gallagher and based on the novel by Andrea Mara, excels at capturing the subtler ways that judgment gets expressed anyway.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Shanahan excels as his offense’s designer, playcaller and top teacher of coaches and players.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
The nonstick, pre-seasoned skillet heats quickly and evenly, and excels at frying eggs, searing meats, sautéeing vegetables, baking cornbread and cobblers, and so much more.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
Chalotra still excels at giving Yennefer a desperate rage that makes her sorceress scenes visceral and exciting.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
That being said, there’s more going on here than shock value, as Franju’s film also excels as a beautifully shot work of art and as a haunting meditation on identity.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
The power forward excels at creating space and in transition, a player who can score as a runner and is a vertical threat with rebounding skills.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Sam Martin excels early Punter Sam Martin rarely gets his due, but Sunday’s spectacular outing can’t go unnoticed.
—Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2025
Not everyone will say those words outright, but the series, created by Megan Gallagher and based on the novel by Andrea Mara, excels at capturing the subtler ways that judgment gets expressed anyway.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Shanahan excels as his offense’s designer, playcaller and top teacher of coaches and players.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
The nonstick, pre-seasoned skillet heats quickly and evenly, and excels at frying eggs, searing meats, sautéeing vegetables, baking cornbread and cobblers, and so much more.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
Chalotra still excels at giving Yennefer a desperate rage that makes her sorceress scenes visceral and exciting.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
That being said, there’s more going on here than shock value, as Franju’s film also excels as a beautifully shot work of art and as a haunting meditation on identity.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
The power forward excels at creating space and in transition, a player who can score as a runner and is a vertical threat with rebounding skills.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excels
Verb
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Extra añejo refers to tequila that has been aged for more than three years, and this new expression from the Last Drop far surpasses that.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
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Add to that list Inhotim, a sprawling and relatively obscure contemporary art collection in the jungle of the state of Minas Gerais that surpasses any notion of what a museum can be.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That would occur when the value of a country’s imports far exceeds that of exports, also referred to as a trade deficit.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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In India, youth unemployment already exceeds 16 percent.—
Neel Somani,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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One team tops the current odds for Morant's new team, and that is the Sacramento Kings.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani will lead a city of over 8 million people, the capital of media, finance and much else, whose annual budget tops $116 billion, after outmaneuvering rivals with decades more experience in a race that captured national attention.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Cotton also eclipses natural fibers like wool (3 percent) and hemp (1 percent).—
Catherine Salfino,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Oct. 2025
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The central performance never eclipses the movie.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excels. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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