excelled

verb

past tense of excel
as in surpassed
to be greater, better, or stronger than the special effects in this new sci-fi extravaganza excel any that we've seen previously

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of excelled One genre that has excelled in the format is reality television. — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 The groups dedicated to selling tickets and sponsorships, and the groups who are tasked with finding new ways to get people to attend baseball games, have excelled in the face of adversity this season. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 The city excelled in recreation amenities, especially playgrounds and athletic fields. — Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026 Caan had excelled in his screen test for the film and was slated to play Michael Corleone opposite the hulking Carmine Caridi as Sonny Corleone (Coppola had offered him the role in a bar). — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026 But Bentley, who excelled at the position, said Lampkin has the best balance in the league outside of Aaron Brewer. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But once class began, Thomas quickly settled in — and excelled. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 With an overall Niche grade of A, North Star Charter School excelled with an A+ in teachers, an A in administration and an A- in academics. — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 21 Aug. 2026 Princess Kate excelled at field hockey, captaining her team at Marlborough College. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excelled
  1. surpassed
  2. exceeded
  3. eclipsed
  4. topped
Verb
  • Alo continues to expand rapidly after its big yacht summer; Vuori has surpassed its goal of 100-plus stores by the end of 2026; and the UK’s Adanola secured investment from Story3 Capital, valuing the business at $530 million last year.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The move comes after all three services surpassed 45 million monthly users in the EU, the threshold for enhanced scrutiny under the DSA.
    — Barbara Moens, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of surpassed
Verb
  • India's quarterly economic growth has exceeded expectations several times over the past year, defying a bleak global trade environment, high energy prices and geopolitical uncertainties.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • During this year's second quarter, GoodRx's subscription revenue increased 39% year over year, and uptake for the Companion program exceeded expectations, Barnes said.
    — Amina Niasse, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of exceeded
Verb
  • Avery was the mentor figure, the one destined, in the usual telling of this story, to be eclipsed.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Still, a sudden downpour eclipsed the show’s start, with many attendees scrambling for cover or abruptly changing into ponchos and hoodies.
    — DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of eclipsed
Verb
  • Orlando topped the list, followed by Miami and then Tampa after considering 45 key measures, from the cost of living and tax laws to the availability of activities and the quality of health care.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The production and new orders readings for the electronic machinery and equipment, computer communication devices sectors topped 53, while consumer goods production lagged at 49.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of topped

Browse Nearby Words

excel
excelled
excellence
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Cite this Entry

“Excelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excelled. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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