ENGLISH
REFERENCE

surpassed

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //sɝˈpæst// UK //səpˈɑːst// sur·passed

v. to be even better or greater than something else. You use this when someone or something goes beyond a limit or a previous record.

v. to exceed a particular limit, expectation, or previous achievement in quality, degree, or amount.


SIMPLE

The final sales figures surpassed all our expectations.

CONTEXTUAL

The young athlete surpassed the world record during the final heat of the competition.

COMPLEX

The architectural beauty of the cathedral surpassed even the most glowing descriptions found in the travel guides, leaving the tourists in silent awe.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object; it is frequently used in the passive voice to describe records or expectations.

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