exceed

/ɪkˈsiːd/ neutral to formal

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1. verb To go beyond a set limit, quantity, or boundary.
Drivers who exceed the speed limit face heavy fines.
2. verb To be greater or more numerous than something else.
The demand for the new phone quickly exceeded the available supply.
3. verb To be better than or superior to something; to surpass.
Her performance in the final round exceeded all expectations.

📖 Seen in the wild

The demand for tickets far exceeded the supply.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ exceed in a sentence

The final cost of the infrastructure project is likely to exceed the original budget.
The film's success at the box office exceeded even the director's wildest dreams.
Please ensure that the length of your essay does not exceed 1,500 words.
His capacity for kindness exceeded that of anyone I had ever met.
The pressure inside the tank must never exceed the designated safety level.
In the first quarter, our sales exceeded last year's figures by nearly twenty percent.
The company was fined for allowing its carbon emissions to exceed legal limits.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

surpass transcend outdo outstrip top eclipse go beyond overstep

surpass · often implies being better in quality or achievement, not just quantity.

transcend · suggests rising above or going beyond limitations in a more abstract or profound way.

outdo · is more informal and often implies a direct competition or effort to be better.

outstrip · implies leaving something far behind, often in speed, growth, or development.

Opposites: fall short, underwhelm, meet, stay within

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'exceed' traveled from Latin to English through French, keeping its core meaning intact. It comes from the Latin 'excedere', which breaks down into 'ex-' (out, beyond) and 'cedere' (to go). So, to exceed is literally 'to go beyond' a certain point or limit.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

exceed expectationsexceed the limitexceed the budgetdemand exceeds supplyfar exceed

'Exceed' is a precise and often formal verb for going past a defined boundary. It's particularly common when discussing quantifiable things like budgets, speed limits, and data caps. While it can be used interchangeably with 'surpass' when talking about expectations, 'surpass' is more common for outperforming a rival or breaking a record. Be careful not to confuse 'exceed' with 'accede', which means to agree to a demand or to take up an office.

Word family: exceedingly, excess, excessive

💬 Quick answers

What does 'exceed' mean in simple terms?

It means to go over or be more than a certain amount, limit, or expectation. For example, if you spend more money than you have, you exceed your budget.

What is the difference between 'exceed' and 'surpass'?

'Exceed' often refers to going past a numerical limit (like a budget or speed limit). 'Surpass' usually means to do better than someone or something else in quality, skill, or achievement.

Is 'exceed' a formal word?

'Exceed' is considered neutral to formal. It is common in professional, academic, and official contexts but is less frequent in very casual conversation, where someone might say 'go over' instead.

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