surpass

sur·pass

verb \sər-ˈpas\

Definition of SURPASS

transitive verb

1

: to become better, greater, or stronger than : exceed <surpassed her rivals> <surpassed all expectations>

2

: to go beyond : overstep

3

: to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of <a beauty that surpasses description>

— sur·pass·able \-ˈpa-sə-bəl\ adjective

Examples of SURPASS

1. Attendance is expected to surpass last year's record.
2. Last quarter, sales surpassed two million.
3. His work regularly surpasses all expectations.

Origin of SURPASS

Middle French surpasser, from sur- + passer to pass

First Known Use: 1555

Related to SURPASS

Synonyms: beat, better, eclipse, exceed, excel, outclass, outdistance, outdo, outgun, outmatch, outshine, outstrip, overtop, top, tower (over), transcend, go one better, run circles around (or run rings around)

Related Words: one-up, outpace, outrace, outrun, overpass; best, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, drub, lick, master, outcompete, outperform, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), rout, shame, skunk, subdue, surmount, thrash, trim, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip, win (against), worst; outbalance, outweigh, overbear, overshadow, trump

Near Antonyms: lose (to)

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See Synonym Discussion at exceed

Rhymes with SURPASS

admass, air mass, alas, Alsace, amass, art glass, avgas, badass, bagasse, beach grass, bear grass, bent grass, black bass, Black Mass, bluegrass, bromegrass, bunchgrass, bypass, cheatgrass, cordgrass, crabgrass, crevasse, cuirass, cut glass, cut-grass, declass, degas, drop pass, Drygas, eelgrass, en masse, eyeglass, first-class, flint glass, float glass, folk mass, ground glass, groundmass, hand glass, harass, hard-ass, haul ass, high-class, high mass, hourglass, impasse, jackass, jump pass, kelp bass, kick ass, kick-ass, knotgrass, landmass, lead glass, low mass, Madras, milk glass, morass, nut grass, oat grass, outclass, outgas, palliasse, pier glass, plate glass, quartz glass, red mass, repass, rest mass, ribgrass, rock bass, ryegrass, salt grass, sandglass, saw grass, screen pass, sea bass, sheet glass, smart-ass, South Pass, spot pass, spun glass, spyglass, stained glass, star grass, striped bass, subclass, sunglass, sung mass, sweetgrass, switchgrass, sword grass, teargas, third-class, trespass, Troas, turfgrass, wheatgrass, white bass, wineglass, wire grass, wiseass, witchgrass, word class, world-class, yard grass