# transcendent

/tɹænˈsɛndənt/ (US) · /tɹænsˈɛndənt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/transcendent
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

so great or beautiful that it feels like it exists beyond normal limits. You use this to describe something that is much better than anything else.

For teachers: exceeding the ordinary or common; surpassing all limits. Often used to describe experiences or qualities that feel spiritual or beyond the physical world.

## Examples

- The view from the mountain peak was transcendent.
- The performance was transcendent, leaving the audience in a state of quiet awe long after the final note.
- In many philosophical traditions, the pursuit of knowledge is seen as a transcendent journey that eventually leads to a union with the divine or the absolute.

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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.