Meaning & use

transcend

verb·Advanced

To go beyond the normal limits of something, or to rise above it.

See it in a sentence

Great art can transcend language, moving people who share no common tongue.

Her determination allowed her to transcend the obstacles she faced growing up in poverty.

A note on using this word

Transcend is a formal verb often used about abstract limits like culture, language, or circumstance, rather than physical objects.

Words with a similar meaning

surpassexceedrise above

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

fall short of

Make it your own

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