SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS

transcend

verb

To go beyond an ordinary boundary, limit, or expectation.

Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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Go beyond a limit

Closest synonyms

Related words and expressions

These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.

Usage distinction

Transcend can praise overcoming a limitation. Overstep often criticizes exceeding a proper boundary, while eclipse compares prominence or achievement.

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See transcend in use

The story's themes transcend its historical setting.
Dictionary practice example.
For the next exhibition, the collective used a shared planning circle as a paradigm for collaboration. Each artist could propose a layout and explain its purpose before the group decided. A series of family photographs showed how specific experiences could transcend their immediate setting and invite wider questions about memory.
From Beyond the Familiar.

Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.

Synonym reference scope and sources

The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.

How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license

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