Standard Lemma guide

surpass

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /səˈpɑːs/
  • US: /sɚˈpæs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑːs
  • rhymes with -æs
  • CMU ARPABET: S ER0 P AE1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To go beyond or exceed (something) in an adjudicative or literal sense.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The former problem student surpassed his instructor's expectations and scored top marks on his examination.
  • The heavy rains threatened to surpass the capabilities of the levee, endangering the town on the other side.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

be or do something to a greater degree

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • 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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: outstrip, outmatch, outgo, exceed, outdo, surmount, outperform

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish

Narrower terms: outwit, overreach, outsmart, outfox, beat, circumvent, outgrow, outshout, outcry, outroar, outsail, outdraw, outsell, outpace, better, break, outshine, outrange, outweigh, outbrave, out-herod, shame, outmarch, outwear

3

verb

Meaning 3

move past

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • 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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: travel by, pass by, go past, go by, pass

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: travel, go, move, locomote

Narrower terms: skirt, run by, fly by, zip by, whisk by

4

verb

Meaning 4

be greater in scope or size than some standard

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Their loyalty exceeds their national bonds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: exceed, transcend

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: overgrow

5

verb

Meaning 5

distinguish oneself

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She excelled in math

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: excel, stand out

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: exceed, transcend, overstep, pass, go past, top, rank, outrank, shine at, excel at

History

Etymology

From Middle French surpasser (“to pass beyond”). By surface analysis, sur- + pass. Displaced native Old English oferstīgan (literally “to climb over”).

Across languages

Translations

69 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: فَاقَ (fāqa) — to exceed
  • Arabic: تَجَاوَزَ (tajāwaza) — to exceed
  • Arabic: اتجاوز (egaawez) — to exceed
  • Arabic: علي على (ʕeli ʕala) — to exceed
  • Aromanian: astrec — to exceed
  • Aromanian: antrec — to exceed
  • Azerbaijani: ötmək — to exceed
  • Bulgarian: надвишавам (nadvišavam) — to exceed
  • Bulgarian: надминавам (nadminavam) — to exceed
  • Bulgarian: надхвърлям (nadhvǎrljam) — to exceed
  • Chinese Cantonese: 超過 /超过 (ciu1 gwo3) — to exceed
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超過 /超过 (chāoguò) — to exceed
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超越 (chāoyuè) — to exceed
  • Chinese Mandarin: 勝過 /胜过 (shèngguò) — to exceed
  • Czech: překonat — to exceed
  • Danish: overgå — to exceed
  • Danish: overstige — to exceed
  • Danish: overtræffe — to exceed
  • Dutch: overstijgen — to exceed
  • Dutch: overtreffen — to exceed
  • Esperanto: superi — to exceed
  • Finnish: ylittää — to exceed
  • French: surpasser — to exceed
  • French: dépasser — to exceed
  • French: excéder — to exceed
  • German: übersteigen — to exceed
  • German: übertreffen — to exceed
  • German: überschreiten — to exceed
  • German: überbieten — to exceed
  • German: überwinden — to exceed
  • Ancient Greek: ὑπερφέρω (huperphérō) — to exceed
  • Ancient Greek: ὑπερέχω (huperékhō) — to exceed
  • Ancient Greek: ὑπερβάλλω (huperbállō) — to exceed
  • Ancient Greek: καίνυμαι (kaínumai) — to exceed
  • Ido: superirar — to exceed
  • Italian: sorpassare — to exceed
  • Japanese: 超える (koeru) — to exceed
  • Japanese: 勝る (masaru) — to exceed
  • Latin: superō — to exceed
  • Latin: praecellō — to exceed
  • Māori: hipa — to exceed
  • Māori: hau — to exceed
  • Māori: pahika — to exceed
  • Norwegian Bokmål: overgå — to exceed
  • Norwegian Bokmål: overstige — to exceed
  • Norwegian Bokmål: overtreffe — to exceed
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: overgå — to exceed
  • Old English: oferstīgan — to exceed
  • Polish: przewyższać — to exceed
  • Polish: przewyższyć — to exceed
  • Portuguese: ultrapassar — to exceed
  • Portuguese: superar — to exceed
  • Portuguese: suplantar — to exceed
  • Portuguese: sobrepassar — to exceed
  • Romanian: depăși — to exceed
  • Romanian: întrece — to exceed
  • Russian: превосходи́ть (prevosxodítʹ) — to exceed
  • Russian: превзойти́ (prevzojtí) — to exceed
  • Spanish: sobrepasar — to exceed
  • Spanish: superar — to exceed
  • Spanish: aventajar — to exceed
  • Swedish: överskrida — to exceed
  • Swedish: överträffa — to exceed
  • Tocharian B: ṣärk- — to exceed
  • Ottoman Turkish: آشمق (aşmak) — to exceed
  • Ukrainian: переве́ршувати (perevéršuvaty) — to exceed
  • Ukrainian: переве́ршити (perevéršyty) — to exceed
  • Ukrainian: переви́щувати (perevýščuvaty) — to exceed
  • Ukrainian: переви́щити (perevýščyty) — to exceed