ENGLISH
REFERENCE

surpass

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //sɝˈpæs// UK //səpˈɑːs// sur·pass

v. to be even better or greater than someone or something else. You use this when a result is higher than what you expected.

v. to exceed a particular limit, expectation, or achievement; to be superior in quality or degree.


SIMPLE

The final sales figures surpass our original goals.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete worked hard to surpass the world record during the summer games.

COMPLEX

The beauty of the mountain range at sunset managed to surpass even the most vivid descriptions found in the travel guidebooks.

Synonyms
Origin

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

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the limit or person being exceeded.

Pitfall

He surpassed from his brother in math.He surpassed his brother in math.Surpass is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'from'.

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