First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
exceed
verb ex·ceed \ik-ˈsēd\
: to be greater or more than (something) : to be better than (something)
: to go beyond the limit of (something)
Full Definition of EXCEED
transitive verb
1
: to extend outside of <the river will exceed its banks>
2
: to be greater than or superior to
3
: to go beyond a limit set by <exceeded his authority>
intransitive verb
1
obsolete : overdo
2
See exceed defined for English-language learners
See exceed defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of EXCEED
Middle English exceden, from Middle French exceder, from Latin excedere, from ex- + cedere to go
Related to EXCEED
Synonym Discussion of EXCEED
exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree. exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement <exceed the speed limit>. surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill <the book surpassed our expectations>. transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits <transcended the values of their culture>. excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others <excels in mathematics>. outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before <outdid herself this time>. outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition <outstripped other firms in sales>.
Rhymes with EXCEED
accede, airspeed, bindweed, birdseed, blueweed, bourride, breast-feed, bur reed, burweed, cheerlead, chickweed, concede, crossbreed, cudweed, debride, degreed, duckweed, fairlead, fern seed, fireweed, flaxseed, force-feed, free reed, Godspeed, ground speed, gulfweed, half-breed, hand-feed, hawkweed, hayseed, high-speed, horseweed, impede, implead, inbreed, indeed, ironweed, Jamshid, jetbead, knapweed, knotweed, linseed, lip-read, milkweed, misdeed, mislead, misread, moonseed, nosebleed, off-speed, oilseed, pigweed, pinweed, pokeweed, pondweed, precede, proceed, proofread, ragweed, rapeseed, recede, reseed, rockweed, seaweed, secede, self-feed, Siegfried, sight-read, silkweed, smartweed, snakeweed, sneezeweed, speed-read, spoon-feed, stall-feed, stampede, stickseed, stickweed, stinkweed, succeed, ten-speed, tickseed, warp speed, weak-kneed, witchweed, wormseed
EXCEED Defined for Kids
exceed
verb ex·ceed \ik-ˈsēd\
ex·ceed·edex·ceed·ing
Definition of EXCEED for Kids
1
: to be greater than <The cost must not exceed 100 dollars.>
2
: to go or be beyond the limit of <Don't exceed the speed limit.>
Word Root of EXCEED
The Latin word cedere, meaning “to go,” gives us the root ced. Words from the Latin cedere have something to do with going. To precede is to go before. To exceed is to go beyond a limit. To proceed is to go forward. To recede is to go back or away.
Learn More About EXCEED
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: exceedablePrevious Word in the Dictionary: excecateAll Words Near: exceed
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up exceed? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).