exceed

verb

ex·​ceed ik-ˈsēd How to pronounce exceed (audio)
exceeded; exceeding; exceeds
Synonyms of exceed

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 by morning.

intransitive verb

1
: predominate
2
obsolete : overdo

Synonyms of exceed

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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.
The ministry described its copper resources as equivalent to several large copper mines and its gold resources as exceeding those of 10 large gold mines. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 Fatal crashes fell slightly last year, but deaths still exceeded 300 in each of the last three years. — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 From February through July 2026, ELG exceeded its plan by approximately $400 million of gross merchandise value, sources said. — David Moin, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 Ingenuity flew 72 times before a crash landing in early 2024, far exceeding the mission’s original plan of five test flights. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 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

Rhymes for exceed

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Browse Nearby Words

excecate
exceed
exceedable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exceed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exceed. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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