exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd 

exceeded; exceeding; exceeds

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

intransitive verb

1

: predominate

2

obsolete : overdo

Synonyms

• break
• outreach
• outrun
• overpass
• overreach
• overrun
• overshoot
• overstep
• surpass
• transcend

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

With the escalating rent, payments would exceed $92 million over the next three and a half decades. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

Vegetation must not exceed 6 inches in height any time after the compliance deadline. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

In ten years, those interest payments will exceed our entire military budget. —Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 14 Apr. 2024

Testimonials attest to the company’s reliability, superior quality, and dedication to exceeding customer expectations. —Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024

Each dish — pumpkin ravioli, porcini risotto with black truffle, and chocolate cake with berry compote — exceeded the previous. —Tanvi Chheda, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024

The production ran over schedule and vastly exceeded its budget, threatening to bankrupt its director. —Chloe Veltman, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024

If Glendale's numbers for these indices continue to far exceed We Energies' averages, the utility is obligated to address the issues, according to the agreement. —Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024

On the night of the meeting, the crowd of residents exceeded the capacity of city hall, forcing officials to relocate the meeting to the nearby fire station. —Archer Guanco, Daniel Schoenherr, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024

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

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