excel synonyms

excel

v.

surpass, transcend, improve upon, exceed, go beyond, outdo, outshine, be superior, stand out, shine, have a flair for, have a bent for, have a good head for, have an eye for, have an ear for; see also exceed.

excel implies superiority in some quality, skill, achievement, etc. over all or over the one (or ones) specified to excel at chess, excels her brothers in math; surpass implies a going beyond (someone or something specified) in degree, amount, or quality no one surpasses him in generosity; transcend suggests a surpassing to an extreme degree, even beyond human capability or standards a faith that transcends all understanding; outdo implies a going beyond someone else or a previous record in performance he will not be outdone in bravery

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.