transcend

American  

[tran-send] / trænˈsɛnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed.

   to transcend the limits of thought; kindness transcends courtesy.

2. to outdo or exceed in excellence, elevation, extent, degree, etc.; surpass; excel.

   Synonyms:

   outstrip

3. Theology. (of the Deity) to be above and independent of (the universe, time, etc.).

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verb (used without object)

1. to be transcendent or superior; excel.

   His competitiveness made him want to transcend.

transcend British  

/ trænˈsɛnd /

verb

1. to go above or beyond (a limit, expectation, etc), as in degree or excellence

2. (tr) to be superior to

3. philosophy theol (esp of the Deity) to exist beyond (the material world)

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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

What getup will transcend la mode and stand the test of time?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Breaded, pounded chicken cutlets transcend geographic boundaries — and they don’t call for any onions.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026

“Average artists sort of get forgotten but iconic artists transcend time and place.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

“It’s a planning perspective that’s looking for concrete economic enhancements at the firm and sector level, as opposed to just developing a machine that might transcend humanity,” Webster said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

It helped me to see the situation other than through the prism of black and white relations, for if our struggle was to succeed, we had to transcend black and white.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• eclipse
• outstrip
• overstep
• transform