surmount
verb
sur·mount
sər-ˈmau̇nt 
surmounted; surmounting; surmounts
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
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
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
See all Example Sentences for surmount 
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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
See all Example Sentences for surmount
Dictionary Entries Near surmount
Cite this Entry
“Surmount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surmount. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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