1
as in exceeding
to be greater, better, or stronger than
she always tried to surpass her older brother at anything he did
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in transcending
to go beyond the limit of
the sales of the band's newest CD have surpassed the combined sales of its last two albums
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in extraordinary
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 surpassing
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Oracle on Wednesday jumped from being the 13th-most valuable company in the S&P 500 to the 10th most-valuable, surpassing the market value of Eli Lilly (LLY), Walmart (WMT) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM).
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
The stock is currently trading at multi-year highs, recently surpassing levels of $80, compared to just above $30 only a few weeks ago.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Holstein, 42 and a mom of two, has since won two consecutive CFDA Women’s Designer of the Year awards, with Khaite reportedly surpassing $100 million in sales and becoming a fixture at New York Fashion Week.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
Bowers' 112 receptions set the rookie record for most catches in a season, surpassing New York Giants star Malik Nabers, who caught 109 balls in 2024.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
World leaders and scientists hoped to avoid surpassing this threshold under the Paris Agreement.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile both warring parties have been accused of mass human rights abuses, with the death toll of the conflict likely surpassing 400,000.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025
In total, 90% of CMS schools met or exceeded growth goals, surpassing the state average of 71%.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Most good thrillers escalate gradually, with each twist surpassing the last.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Oracle on Wednesday jumped from being the 13th-most valuable company in the S&P 500 to the 10th most-valuable, surpassing the market value of Eli Lilly (LLY), Walmart (WMT) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM).
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
The stock is currently trading at multi-year highs, recently surpassing levels of $80, compared to just above $30 only a few weeks ago.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Holstein, 42 and a mom of two, has since won two consecutive CFDA Women’s Designer of the Year awards, with Khaite reportedly surpassing $100 million in sales and becoming a fixture at New York Fashion Week.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
Bowers' 112 receptions set the rookie record for most catches in a season, surpassing New York Giants star Malik Nabers, who caught 109 balls in 2024.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
World leaders and scientists hoped to avoid surpassing this threshold under the Paris Agreement.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile both warring parties have been accused of mass human rights abuses, with the death toll of the conflict likely surpassing 400,000.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025
In total, 90% of CMS schools met or exceeded growth goals, surpassing the state average of 71%.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surpassing
Verb
-
As experts, the members of Forbes Business Council have experience implementing customer service best practices without exceeding their budget or overwhelming their team.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
An American Medical Association survey of 13,000 physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in 2022 reflected rates of burnout exceeding 50% in several key specialties.—
Patrick Aguilar,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Tusk, the Polish prime minister, convened an extraordinary government meeting early on Wednesday, bringing together the country's emergency and military officials.—
Will Gretsky,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
-
France’s Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy statement during the parliamentary extraordinary session prior to a confidence vote over the government’s austerity budget, at the National Assembly in Paris on September 8, 2025.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Trump is a man of many hats Immigration has become the dominant political issue in Britain, eclipsing concerns over a faltering economy, as the country faces a record number of asylum claims.—
Vitalii Yalahuzian,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
After all, Forbes reported that Swift’s Eras tour became the highest-grossing music tour of all time, eclipsing $2 billion in ticket revenues.—
Nathan Goldman,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Tatis is a supreme defender in right field, but with center fielder Jackson Merrill still in the throes of a sophomore slump, Tatis’ offensive form — or lack thereof — will largely determine the team’s trajectory.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The trains are also said to boast conference rooms, bedrooms, and satellite phone connections to keep the supreme leader connected to Pyongyang.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Stakes in Group C Supplied Bafana Bafana will host Nigeria, knowing that a victory could effectively eliminate the Super Eagles' chances of topping Group C, unless off-field issues alter the situation.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
By scooping her chocolate cake into dessert glasses and topping it with icing and strawberries, Gaines tapped into this centuries-old dessert tradition.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As the afterglow of the midyear continental tournaments fades back into seasonal play in global women’s soccer, there’s been a trend of superlative record-breaking, from the youngest professional goal scorers to the most lucrative transfer fees.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The witty, heartfelt drama with a superlative cast led by Sarah Michelle Gellar feels like a Halloween show throughout, considering all the supernatural villains.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Studio Ends Big Night With Record Wins Seth Rogen closed out a huge night for Apple TV+’s The Studio, which won best comedy.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Stewart has also become a huge advocate for New Yorkers who were exposed to deadly toxins during the 9/11 attacks, and even spoke before Congress in 2019 to urge the passing of a bill that would provide aid to victims.—
Keith Langston,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which has organized dozens of boats to sail to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid, said that one of its main vessels was targeted in a drone strike just after midnight local time on Tuesday while docked near the Tunisian capital.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Tribhuvan International Airport, the country's main international airport, was also shut down due to smoke in the area.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surpassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surpassing. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share