surpass
/sə:'pɑ:s/
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To be greater than; to exceed: To go beyond in amount, extent, quality, or degree.
- To be superior to; to outdo: To do or be better than someone or something else.
- To go beyond the limit, capacity, or range of: To transcend or go past a certain point or standard.
Usage and Examples
To exceed in amount or degree:
- The final cost surpassed our initial estimate.
- Her talent surpasses that of her peers.
To be superior to; to outdo:
- He surpassed all previous records in the competition.
- This new model surpasses the old one in both speed and efficiency.
To go past or beyond:
- The beauty of the landscape surpasses description. (It is too beautiful to be adequately described.)
Advanced Usage and Nuances
"To surpass oneself": To do better than one has ever done before; to exceed one's own previous achievements.
- In her latest novel, the author has truly surpassed herself.
"To surpass expectations": To be better or achieve more than what was anticipated.
- The product's success has surpassed all expectations.
Variants and Related Words
Surpassing (adjective): Exceptional; extraordinary.
- He showed surpassing skill in the negotiation.
Unsurpassed (adjective): Better or greater than any other; supreme.
- The view from the summit is unsurpassed.
Synonyms
- Exceed: To be greater than a number or amount.
- Outdo: To be more successful or better than someone else in doing something.
- Outstrip: To move faster than and overtake someone, or to become larger, more important, etc., than someone or something.
- Transcend: To go beyond the usual limits of something.
- Excel: To be exceptionally good at or proficient in an activity or subject.
Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Surpass" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically expressed in simple verb forms or through synonyms.)
Related Idioms
- "To surpass all understanding": To be so extreme or incredible that it is difficult to comprehend.
- His generosity surpasses all understanding.
- "To surpass in kind": To respond to an action with a similar but greater action (often used in formal or literary contexts).
- Her kindness was surpassed in kind by the community's gratitude.
Verb
-
be greater in scope or size than some standard
-
Their loyalty exceeds their national bonds
-
-
move past
-
A black limousine passed by when she looked out the window
-
He passed his professor in the hall
-
One line of soldiers surpassed the other
-
-
be or do something to a greater degree
-
her performance surpasses that of any other student I know
-
She outdoes all other athletes
-
This exceeds all my expectations
-
This car outperforms all others in its class
-
-
distinguish oneself
-
She excelled in math
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "surpass"
