surpass
/səˈpɑːs/ (bre, ipa) · /sərˈpæs/ (ame, ipa) · /sər-ˈpas/ (ame, mw)
surpass — verb
- surpasspresent simple I / you / we / they
- surpasseshe / she / it
- surpassedpast simple
- surpassing-ing form
1. to reach a higher level of performance, quality, or quantity than someone or som
to reach a higher level of performance, quality, or quantity than someone or something else — used when a person, product, or achievement goes beyond what existed before, for instance by breaking a record, exceeding an expectation, or beating a competitor.
Renata surpassed all expectations when she scored top marks in her final exams.
surpass + expectations: performing better than expected
The new electric car's range easily surpasses that of any other model in its price bracket.
surpass + noun phrase: comparison of quality between items
Tendai's debut novel has surpassed one million copies sold in just six months.
In terms of creative problem-solving, Linh surpasses most colleagues who have been in the industry much longer.
The destruction left by the earthquake surpassed anything the rescue workers had witnessed before.
This quarter export revenues have already surpassed the previous year's total by a wide margin.
- exceed
more neutral and narrower in scope — typically used for numerical limits or thresholds, whereas surpass can also imply excellence or quality
- outdo
more informal and personal — often used for one person beating another in a specific task or effort
- outstrip
suggests a clear and often rapid margin of difference, especially in growth or performance
- fall short of
to fail to reach a required or expected level
- lag behind
to be slower or less advanced than someone or something else
文法句型
surpass + noun phrase
surpass + noun phrase + in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Surpass is more formal than everyday alternatives such as 'beat' or 'outdo.' It is particularly common in writing about records, expectations, standards, or competitors. The verb takes a direct object and requires an explicit target of comparison — you cannot say 'Her score surpassed' without stating what it surpassed.