transcend
Americanverb (used with object)
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to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed.
to transcend the limits of thought; kindness transcends courtesy.
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to outdo or exceed in excellence, elevation, extent, degree, etc.; surpass; excel.
- Synonyms:
- outstrip
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Theology. (of the Deity) to be above and independent of (the universe, time, etc.).
verb (used without object)
verb
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to go above or beyond (a limit, expectation, etc), as in degree or excellence
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(tr) to be superior to
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philosophy theol (esp of the Deity) to exist beyond (the material world)
Other Word Forms
- transcendingly adverb
- untranscended adjective
Etymology
Origin of transcend
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin trānscendere “to surmount,” from trāns- trans- + -scendere (combining form of scandere “to climb”)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Breaded, pounded chicken cutlets transcend geographic boundaries — and they don’t call for any onions.
From Salon
McManus suggested that people’s love for their furry, feathery or scaly companions transcends party lines.
From Los Angeles Times
“Average artists sort of get forgotten but iconic artists transcend time and place.”
From Los Angeles Times
The album is meant as a "decolonial plea and a project for unity, where music plays an essential role because it transcends borders."
From Barron's
Stuffed cabbages, for example, are a hearty delicacy that transcends geographical borders.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
