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

Hosted by Manu Bennett, the series followed a group of contestants tasked with climbing a treacherous mountain, all while surmounting mental and social challenges. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025

Restarting Unit 1 will require Constellation to surmount engineering and regulatory hurdles, and address the public relations challenge of overcoming the site’s historical link to nuclear disaster. —IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2024

Defenseman Darnell Nurse should see his first action since Feb. 25 after surmounting a minor injury. —Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 3 Mar. 2025

By embracing innovative digital solutions, independent practices can surmount longstanding barriers, ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future. —Tony Bradley, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for surmount

• account
• amount
• discount
• dismount
• recount
• remount
• seamount
• count
• fount
• mount
• rediscount
• subaccount

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