Standard Lemma guide

transcend

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.

  • /tɹæn(t)ˈsɛnd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛnd
  • CMU ARPABET: T R AE0 N S EH1 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To pass beyond the limits of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • We cannot transcend what we refuse to face.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To surpass, as in intensity or power; to excel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To climb; to mount.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

Examples

  • lights in the heavens transcending the region of the clouds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

be superior or better than some standard

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She exceeded our expectations
  • She topped her performance of last year

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: exceed, overstep, pass, go past, top

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: excel, stand out, surpass

5

verb

Meaning 5

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, surpass

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: overgrow

History

Etymology

From Middle English transcenden, from Old French transcender, from Latin transcendō (“to climb over, step over, surpass, transcend”), from trans (“over”) + scandō (“to climb”); see scan; compare ascend, descend.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: надхвърлям (nadhvǎrljam) — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Bulgarian: превишавам (previšavam) — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Catalan: ultrapassar — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Catalan: transcendir — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超越 (chāoyuè) — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Czech: překonat — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Dutch: overstijgen — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Esperanto: transcendi — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Finnish: ylittää — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • French: transcender — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • German: übersteigen — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • German: überschreiten — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Latin: supero — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Portuguese: transcender — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Russian: переступа́ть преде́лы (perestupátʹ predély) — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Serbo-Croatian: transcendirati — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Spanish: trascender — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Spanish: transcender — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Thai: ก้าวข้าม — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Turkish: aşmak — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Ottoman Turkish: آشمق (aşmak) — to pass beyond the limits of something
  • Bulgarian: превъзхождам (prevǎzhoždam) — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Catalan: ultrapassar — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Catalan: transcendir — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超越 (chāoyuè) — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Finnish: ylittää — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Russian: превосходи́ть (prevosxodítʹ) — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Russian: превыша́ть (prevyšátʹ) — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Serbo-Croatian: prevazići — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Serbo-Croatian: nadići — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Spanish: sobrepasar — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Spanish: superar — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel
  • Swahili: shinda — to surpass something in intensity or power; to excel