surpass

surpass — verb

1. to reach a higher level of performance, quality, or quantity than someone or som

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to reach a higher level of performance, quality, or quantity than someone or something else — used when a person, product, or achievement goes beyond what existed before, for instance by breaking a record, exceeding an expectation, or beating a competitor.

Example

Renata surpassed all expectations when she scored top marks in her final exams.

surpass + expectations: performing better than expected

The new electric car's range easily surpasses that of any other model in its price bracket.

surpass + noun phrase: comparison of quality between items

Common collocations
  • surpass expectations
  • surpass a record
  • surpass a limit
  • surpass someone in skill
  • surpass a total
Synonyms
  • exceed

    more neutral and narrower in scope — typically used for numerical limits or thresholds, whereas surpass can also imply excellence or quality

  • outdo

    more informal and personal — often used for one person beating another in a specific task or effort

  • outstrip

    suggests a clear and often rapid margin of difference, especially in growth or performance

Antonyms
  • fall short of

    to fail to reach a required or expected level

  • lag behind

    to be slower or less advanced than someone or something else

Grammar Patterns

surpass + noun phrase

surpass + noun phrase + in + noun phrase

Usage Note

Surpass is more formal than everyday alternatives such as 'beat' or 'outdo.' It is particularly common in writing about records, expectations, standards, or competitors. The verb takes a direct object and requires an explicit target of comparison — you cannot say 'Her score surpassed' without stating what it surpassed.

Common Mistakes

Her test score surpassed.
Her test score surpassed every other student's in the class.
Surpass needs a direct object that names the person or thing being exceeded.
The cyclist surpassed the truck on the highway.
The cyclist overtook the truck on the highway.
For physically moving past something in space, use 'overtake' or 'pass'. Surpass is used for comparisons of quality, achievement, or amount.

Word family

  • surpassing
    adjectiveC1
  • unsurpassed
    adjectiveC1
  • surpassingly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All three words describe going beyond a certain point, but they differ in tone and context. Exceed is the most neutral and is preferred for measurable quantities: a budget, a speed limit, or a target number. Outdo is more informal and personal — one friend outdoes another at karaoke or in a cooking challenge. Outstrip often carries a sense of rapid or competitive movement, especially in growth contexts: a company's sales outstrip its rivals'. Surpass sits among these as a flexible middle option, suitable for both achievements ('surpass expectations') and measurements ('surpass a record'), with a slightly more formal feel than outdo but a broader emotional range than exceed.

exceed ↗outdooutstrip

Common collocations

Nouns

  • expectations
  • a record
  • a limit
  • a target
  • a total
  • a competitor

Adverbs

  • far surpass
  • easily surpass
  • quickly surpass
  • clearly surpass
  • soon surpass

Phrases

  • surpass all expectations
  • surpass the previous record
  • surpass someone in ability

Prepositions

  • surpass in
  • surpass by

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Surpass comes from the French word surpasser — sur- ('over, beyond') and passer ('to pass, to go past'). It entered English in the mid-1500s, carrying the same sense of going beyond a limit or standard.