surmount

verb

sur·​mount sər-ˈmau̇nt 

surmounted; surmounting; surmounts

transitive verb

1

: to prevail over : overcome

surmount an obstacle

2

: to get to the top of : climb

3

: to stand or lie at the top of

4

obsolete : to surpass in quality or attainment : excel

surmountable

sər-ˈmau̇n-tə-bəl 

adjective

Did you know?

Our verb mount, meaning "ascend, get up onto", comes from the same Latin root as mountain, and we keep those images in mind when using surmount, since climbing up or over a mountain is a symbol of achievement. The word almost always refers to human effort, and almost always in a positive way; thus, we speak of surmounting difficulties, surmounting problems, surmounting hurdles, surmounting handicaps—you get the idea.

Synonyms

• beat
• best
• conquer
• defeat
• dispatch
• do down [British]
• get
• get around
• lick
• master
• overbear
• overcome
• overmatch
• prevail (over)
• skunk
• stop
• subdue
• take
• trim
• triumph (over)
• upend
• win (against)
• worst

Examples of surmount in a Sentence

an Olympic swimmer who surmounted endless obstacles to achieve her goals

Recent Examples on the Web

Following up the arrival of Wicked Part One and Gladiator II at the box office right before Thanksgiving is a feat in and of itself, but following a beloved first feature installment gave Moana 2 even more of a wave to surmount. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024

For comedians who reach a certain level of cultural ubiquity, fame becomes a problem to overcome in the work — an obstacle to relatability that has to be named and, ideally, punctured, or a summit to continually surmount with bigger venues and over-the-top spectacle. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2024

This was a story about someone who had identified an obstacle and, through dogged accounting, surmounted it. —Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

The Quad’s ability to surmount these limitations is critical, in part because the group’s durability hinges on its ability to deliver on its promises. —Dhruva Jaishankar, Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French surmunter, from sur- + munter to mount

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

surmount

verb

sur·​mount sər-ˈmau̇nt 

1

: overcome sense 1

surmount an obstacle

2

: to get to the top of : climb

3

: to stand or lie at the top of : crown

a weather vane surmounts the roof

surmountable

-ə-bəl 

adjective