Word
transcend
Phoneticstran·scend
US/tɹænˈsɛnd/
UK/tɹænsˈɛnd/
Definitions
01to go beyond limits
v. to rise above or go beyond the normal limits of something.
v. to pass beyond the limits of a physical, social, or conceptual boundary. Transitive — requires a direct object.
“Great art can transcend language barriers and speak to everyone.”
“The composer sought to create a piece of music that would transcend the cultural divisions of the era and unite the audience.”
Formal
Usage
Always used with a direct object representing the limit being passed.
Antonyms
02to be better than
v. to be much better or more powerful than something else.
v. to surpass in intensity, power, or excellence.
“Her performance transcended all our expectations.”
“The beauty of the mountain range transcended any description the travel writer could provide in his journal.”
Formal · Literary
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Back to full health, and her confidence in her ability fully restored, Hunt is now realising her full potential - and beginning to transcend the sport in the process.” “But this trend of following individual players transcends merely Messi and Ronaldo.” Etymology
From Middle English transcenden, from Old French transcender, from Latin transcendere (“to climb over, step over, surpass, transcend”), from trans (“over”) + scandere (“to climb”); see scan; compare ascend, descend.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/transcend