exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd How to pronounce exceed (audio)
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
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.
That deal could have reached as high as £89m (€100m) were subsequent clauses met; the amounts guaranteed on the sale of Wirtz have already exceeded that figure. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 June 2025 Annual interest payments now already exceed $1 trillion, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has called it a red flag. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 Pré de Provence’s soaps meet, and exceed, our expectations in every way: crafted by soap makers in Provence using old-world methods, while being enriched with natural, skin-forward ingredients and smelling absolutely divine. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 20 June 2025 Trump’s first term increased the national debt by nearly $2 trillion, then Biden and Trump’s second term will have exceeded that mark. Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exceed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exceed. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

exceed

verb
ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd How to pronounce exceed (audio)
1
: to be greater than
the cost must not exceed ten dollars
2
: to go or be beyond the limit

More from Merriam-Webster on exceed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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