to exceed

USAGE SUMMARY

"to exceed" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe when something has surpassed another in quality, quantity, or amount. For example, "He worked hard to exceed his expectations for the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Where does humanity attempt to exceed itself?

Independent

We want to exceed expectations".

The New York Times

Pitching has to exceed expectations".

The New York Times - Sports

The goal is to exceed 23 percent this decade.

The New York Times - Science

The daytime temperatures failed to exceed zero.

The New York Times - Sports

Losses are expected to exceed $150 million.

The New York Times

Thankfully, he managed to exceed them easily.

The Guardian - Opinion

Litigation ought never to exceed one year.

The New York Times - Magazine

He expects Hot Topic to exceed earnings forecasts next year.

The New York Times

Both works are tipped to exceed their estimates.

The Guardian - Opinion

It expects sales for the quarter to exceed $235 million.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "to exceed" when you want to express that something goes beyond a specific limit, expectation, or standard. Ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being exceeded.

Common error

Avoid using "exceed" as a noun. "Exceed" is a verb. The noun form is "excess". For example, instead of saying "The exceed of the budget was significant", say "The excess in the budget was significant".

Linguistic Context

The infinitive phrase "to exceed" primarily functions as a verb indicating the act of surpassing or going beyond a specific limit, expectation, or standard. Ludwig shows the phrase frequently in contexts where goals, expectations, or measurements are being surpassed.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to exceed" is a versatile and widely used infinitive phrase that signifies surpassing or going beyond a specific limit, expectation, or standard. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and prevalence across various contexts, particularly in news, science, and business. It is crucial to use it correctly, avoiding its misuse as a noun and ensuring clarity in expressing what is being surpassed. By understanding its nuances and leveraging the guidance provided, writers can effectively incorporate "to exceed" into their vocabulary to convey progress, improvement, and surpassing expectations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to surpass

Indicates a higher level of achievement or performance.

to go beyond

Emphasizes exceeding a limit or boundary.

to outstrip

Suggests moving ahead or progressing faster than something else.

to transcend

Implies rising above or going beyond the limitations of something.

to outdo

Focuses on performing better than someone else.

to overstep

Conveys exceeding a boundary or limit, often in a negative way.

to eclipse

Suggests overshadowing or surpassing in importance or fame.

to top

Implies reaching a higher point or level.

to beat

Indicates winning or surpassing in a competition or comparison.

to better

Focuses on improving upon a previous state or performance.

FAQs

How can I use "to exceed" in a sentence?

You can use "to exceed" in sentences where you want to describe surpassing a certain limit or expectation. For example, "The company aims "to exceed" its sales targets this quarter".

What is a synonym for "to exceed"?

A synonym for "to exceed" is "to surpass". Other alternatives include "to outstrip", "to go beyond", and "to transcend".

Is it correct to say "exceeding expectations"?

Yes, "exceeding expectations" is a correct and commonly used phrase. It describes a situation where performance or results are better than what was anticipated.

What is the difference between "to exceed" and "to excel"?

"To exceed" means to go beyond a limit or expectation, while "to excel" means to be exceptionally good at something. For example, "The student aimed "to exceed" the teacher's expectations" focuses on surpassing a benchmark, while "The student strove "to excel" in mathematics" emphasizes superior performance.