exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd 
exceeded; exceeding; exceeds
Synonyms of exceed

transitive verb

1
: to be greater than or superior to
2
: to go beyond a limit set by
exceeded his authority
3
: to extend outside of
The river will exceed its banks by morning.

intransitive verb

1
: predominate
2
obsolete : overdo

Synonyms of exceed

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for exceed

exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree.

exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

Examples of exceed in a Sentence

The cost must not exceed 10 dollars. The cost exceeded our estimate. The demand for new housing has already exceeded the supply. He's trying to match or exceed last year's sales.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning that applies to more than 1 million people in San Diego County, mostly across inland valleys, foothills and mountains where high temperatures will approach or exceed 95 to 114 degrees. — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026 The district's diesel expenses have exceeded tens of thousands of dollars in extra costs, Deans said, also noting that several of the district's vehicles also run on gasoline. — Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 The region was under a thunderstorm alert at the time and wind gusts exceeding 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) were recorded at a nearby meteorological station. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Heat index values could approach or exceed 100 degrees by Sunday afternoon. — Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exceed

Word History

Etymology

Middle English exceden, from Middle French exceder, from Latin excedere, from ex- + cedere to go

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of exceed was in the 14th century

Rhymes for exceed

See All Rhymes for exceed

Browse Nearby Words

excecate
exceed
exceedable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exceed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exceed. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

exceed

verb
ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd 
1
: to be greater than
the cost must not exceed ten dollars
2
: to go or be beyond the limit
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All