# surpassing

/sɝˈpæsɪŋ/ (US) · /səpˈɑːsɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/surpassing
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

describing something that is much better or greater than anything else of its kind.

For teachers: exceeding expectations or standard limits; exceptional in degree or quality. Often used to describe abstract qualities like beauty, skill, or intelligence.

## Examples

- The view from the mountain top is of surpassing beauty.
- She showed a surpassing talent for mathematics even before she started primary school.
- The composer's final symphony was a work of surpassing complexity, weaving together themes that had appeared separately throughout his earlier career.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is surpassing at tennis" but "He is surpassing in his tennis skills" — While 'surpassing' describes a quality, it is rarely used as a predicative adjective to describe a person directly; it usually modifies a specific noun like 'skill' or 'beauty'.

## Usage notes

- Typically used attributively before a noun to emphasize an extreme or superior quality.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.