In the current world of statistics and trends, we are always seeing how the current statistics compare to previous statistics. Because of this, English learners will notice we use the words exceed or surpass often. They are used in similar situations, and their dictionary definitions sound too similar. However, like most pairs I have explained before, although the difference may be small, we natives really hear a big difference between some pairs of similar words. How do you know whether to use exceed or surpass?
“exceed” is a neutral or negative word about going past a limit
Going past limits is usually a negative thing, so usually this word is used in a negative sense.
The police officer gave him a ticket for exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph.
= He went 20 miles faster than what we wanted.
Our goal is to never have customer wait times that exceed 5 minutes.
= We never want to customers to wait for more than 5 minutes.
“surpass” is a positive word about going past a previous record
This word is not about limits, things we don’t want to reach. It is about records, something we are proud of reaching.
The nation’s economic output surpassed last year’s.
= The nation is creating more things than last year, a number we want higher.
This month’s sales surpassed $500 million.
= We made over $500 million.
In summary
- exceed: negative or neutral word about going above limits
- surpass: positive word about going above records
Overall, these two words are very close, but be careful. If you use the wrong one, someone might be confused about your opinion on the subject. If you said “You surpassed the speed limit,” it sounds like it is good to drive faster than allowed. That sounds very awkward to a native.
You can find more English explanations on this blog and videos related to language learning on my YouTube channel!
Keep working and improving your English! Soon, you will surpass people’s expectations for your English!
