Library / English Dictionary

SURMOUNT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be or do something to a greater degree

Example:

This car outperforms all others in its class

Synonyms:

exceed; outdo; outgo; outmatch; outperform; outstrip; surmount; surpass

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "surmount" is one way to...):

beat; beat out; crush; shell; trounce; vanquish (come out better in a competition, race, or conflict)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "surmount"):

outwear (last longer than others)

outmarch (march longer distances and for a longer time than)

shame (surpass or beat by a wide margin)

outfox (outdo someone in trickery)

out-herod (surpass someone in cruelty or evil)

outbrave (be braver than)

outweigh (be heavier than)

outrange (have a greater range than (another gun))

outshine (attract more attention and praise than others)

better; break (surpass in excellence)

outpace (surpass in speed)

outsell (be sold more often than other, similar products)

outsell (sell more than others)

outdraw (draw a gun faster, or best someone in a gunfight)

outsail (sail faster or better than)

outroar (roar louder than)

outcry; outshout (shout louder than)

outgrow (grow faster than)

beat; circumvent; outfox; outsmart; outwit; overreach (beat through cleverness and wit)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Get on top of; deal with successfully

Example:

He overcame his shyness

Synonyms:

get over; master; overcome; subdue; surmount

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "surmount" is one way to...):

beat; beat out; crush; shell; trounce; vanquish (come out better in a competition, race, or conflict)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "surmount"):

bulldog (throw a steer by seizing the horns and twisting the neck, as in a rodeo)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Reach the highest point of

Example:

We scaled the Mont Blanc

Synonyms:

scale; surmount

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "surmount" is one way to...):

arrive at; attain; gain; hit; make; reach (reach a destination, either real or abstract)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be on top of

Example:

The scarf surmounted the gown

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "surmount" is one way to...):

head (be in the front of or on top of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "surmount"):

pinnacle (surmount with a pinnacle)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

We were immured in ice and should probably never escape, but they feared that if, as was possible, the ice should dissipate and a free passage be opened, I should be rash enough to continue my voyage and lead them into fresh dangers, after they might happily have surmounted this.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

We passed rapidly along; the sun was hot, but we were sheltered from its rays by a kind of canopy while we enjoyed the beauty of the scene, sometimes on one side of the lake, where we saw Mont Salêve, the pleasant banks of Montalègre, and at a distance, surmounting all, the beautiful Mont Blanc, and the assemblage of snowy mountains that in vain endeavour to emulate her; sometimes coasting the opposite banks, we saw the mighty Jura opposing its dark side to the ambition that would quit its native country, and an almost insurmountable barrier to the invader who should wish to enslave it.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)