Synonyms for excel
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Surpass — to surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something
surpass, out-do, exceed, outshine, shine, top, transcend, outstrip, best, better, eclipse, overcome, beat, outclass, outperform, prevail, trump, overshadow, overtop, overdo, overbear, outrival
Definitions
- v. 1
To surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something.
I excelled everyone else with my exam results.
- v. 2
To be much better than others.
- v. 3
To exceed, to go beyond.
Related words
- Word family
- excellence excellent exceed
Forms
- Past participle
- excelled
e.g. excelled → surpassed, out-done, exceeded, outshined…
Example sentences
- outperform Algeria can outperform its neighbors economically.
- overdo You have to be very careful not to overdo things.
- outshine I have no ambition to outshine him or any other erudite.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| excel | rising | |
| outperform | rising | |
| overdo | rising | |
| outshine | rising | |
| outclass | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- top1, cap1
- 4 letters
- best1, beat1, rock1, rule1
- 5 letters
- trump1, shine1
- 6 letters
- better2, exceed2, overdo3, overgo
- 7 letters
- eclipse2, prevail2, surpass2, overtop, outstep
- 8 letters
- overcome3, overpass3, outshine2, overstep3, outstrip2, outclass2, overbear, outrival
- 9 letters
- transcend2, overexcel
- 10 letters
- outperform3, overshadow4, transgress2
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (better2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- exceller
- Español
- sobresalir
- Català
- excel·lir