exceed our expectations

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exceed our expectations" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe achieved success that is greater than what was originally anticipated. For example: "The success of the company's new product exceeded our expectations and raised profits significantly".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

It does not exceed our expectations".

The New York Times

If these trends continue, Mr. Saleh said, "Nextel will likely exceed our expectations for 2002".

The New York Times

No building has the right to exceed our expectations by such a margin.

The New York Times - Books

This proves that, given the opportunity and support, young people can exceed our expectations.

The Guardian

"This first year's submissions exceed our expectations both in quantity and breadth," said the chair of the prize, Peter Gordon.

The Guardian - Books

"If you look at the long-term opportunity, it is material, and it continues to exceed our expectations".

The New York Times - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

"Our first-year experience exceeded our expectations, and we expect a 25percentt increase in business this summer," Mr. Caucci said.

The New York Times

Nevertheless, the loadings of MTX were surprisingly higher than those expected, exceeding our expectations.

Nanoscale Research Letters

"We had no idea what to expect, and this far exceeded our expectations," he said.

Los Angeles Times

It's exceeded our expectations".

The New York Times - Sports

Mr. Fox: It actually exceeded our expectations.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "exceed our expectations", ensure that the context clearly establishes whose expectations are being exceeded. This adds clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the extent to which expectations are exceeded. Use qualifiers like "slightly", "significantly", or "far" to accurately represent the degree of outperformance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exceed our expectations" functions as a predicate in sentences, describing the extent to which something surpasses what was anticipated. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical use.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "exceed our expectations" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to convey that something has surpassed what was anticipated. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, noting its suitability for various contexts, particularly in news and media, science, and formal business settings. While alternatives like "surpass our hopes" and "outstrip our predictions" exist, the core meaning remains consistent: a positive outcome beyond initial anticipations. It's crucial to provide context to clarify whose expectations are being exceeded and to avoid overstating the degree of outperformance. As Ludwig examples show, the phrase appears most frequently in authoritative news sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surpass our hopes

Replaces "expectations" with "hopes", suggesting a slightly more aspirational tone.

better than we expected

A simpler, more direct way of saying something exceeded expectations.

outstrip our predictions

Uses "outstrip" instead of "exceed", indicating surpassing by a considerable margin, and "predictions" in place of "expectations".

go beyond our anticipations

Employs "go beyond" as an alternative to "exceed", indicating exceeding a limit, and replaces "expectations" with "anticipations".

overdeliver against our goals

Replaces exceed with overdeliver, implying a more active effort to outperform expectations in relation to specific goals.

beat our projections

A more business-oriented alternative, using "beat" and "projections".

top our estimates

Similar to "beat our projections", using "top" and "estimates".

come in above our targets

Uses “come in above” instead of exceed, changing the verb and emphasizing achieving a higher result than the target.

perform beyond our wildest dreams

An idiomatic expression denoting surpassing even the most optimistic expectations.

rise above our benchmarks

Expresses exceeding expectations in the sense of surpassing a standard or reference point, using "rise above" and "benchmarks".

FAQs

How can I use "exceed our expectations" in a sentence?

You can use "exceed our expectations" to describe a result or performance that is better than what was originally anticipated. For example, "The product's sales "exceeded our expectations", leading to increased profits."

What are some alternatives to "exceed our expectations"?

Some alternatives include "surpass our hopes", "outstrip our predictions", or "better than we expected", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "exceed our expectations" or "exceeds our expectations"?

The correct form depends on the subject. Use "exceed our expectations" for plural subjects (e.g., "The results exceed our expectations"). Use "exceeds our expectations" for singular subjects (e.g., "The result exceeds our expectations").

What's the difference between "exceed our expectations" and "meet our expectations"?

"Meet our expectations" means that something is as good as we anticipated. "Exceed our expectations" means that something is better than we anticipated.