Meaning & use
transcend
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To go beyond the limits of something, or to be greater than it.
Grammar: Takes an object and no preposition: transcend borders.
Patterns
- transcend something
- transcend boundaries
Good music can transcend language and culture.
The film's message transcends national borders.
Her kindness transcended every difference between them.
verbtransitive
To rise above a difficult situation or a limit that restricts you.
Grammar: Usually takes an abstract object: transcend hardship.
Patterns
- transcend something
He transcended a poor childhood to become a respected scientist.
The team transcended its earlier failures and won the title.
Word forms
| third person singular | transcends |
|---|---|
| past tense | transcended |
| past participle | transcended |
| -ing form | transcending |
Common combinations
- transcend boundaries
- Sport can transcend political boundaries.
- transcend cultural differences
- Humor often transcends cultural differences.
- transcend time
- Great stories transcend time.
- transcend language
- A smile can transcend language.
- transcend expectations
- The young pianist transcended every expectation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- surpass
- Surpass means to do better than someone or something, while transcend means to pass beyond a limit entirely.
- exceed
- Exceed is used for numbers or limits, like speed, whereas transcend is used for abstract limits.
- overcome
- Overcome means to defeat a problem, while transcend suggests rising above it altogether.
Opposites
Word family
- transcendent adjective
- going beyond ordinary limits
- transcendence noun
- the state of going beyond limits
- transcendental adjective
- beyond normal physical experience
- transcendently adverb
- in a way that goes beyond limits
Commonly confused: transcend or transcribe?
transcend vs transcribe
Transcribe means to write down or copy spoken words, which is different from going beyond limits.
Practice
Some songs seem to ___ language, moving listeners who do not understand a single word.
Choose one answer.
Moving people despite a language barrier means going beyond it, which is transcend. Translate and transcribe would change words, and transport does not fit with language.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “transcend”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.