Synonyms of excel
56 similar words · 8 opposite words
Another word for excel is top. Other synonyms of excel are better, exceed, surpass, outdo and shine. The opposite of excel is underperform.
Synonyms and similar words for excel
verbTo surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something.
- betterTo surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel; to improve on.
- outclassTo surpass something or somebody else, so as to appear to be in a higher class.
- outperformTo perform better than something or someone.
- best
- overtake
- dwarf
- eclipse figuratively
- exceedTo be better than (something).
- hold the cardsTo be in a strong position, possessing significant advantages over someone else; to be in control of a situation...
- outdoTo excel; go beyond in performance; surpass.
- outmatchTo surpass or be better than something or someone else.
- overbear
- outrivalTo outperform; to outdo.
- outrun
- outshadowOvershadow (to make to seem insignificant).
- outshine
- outstripTo exceed or surpass (someone or something).
- outvieTo outdo a competitor or rival.
- overmatch
- overshadow
- prevail
- put to shame
- run away with
- surpassTo go beyond or exceed (something) in an adjudicative or literal sense.
- topTo excel, to surpass, to beat, to exceed.
- transcendTo surpass, as in intensity or power; to excel.
- trump
- upstage
- bear away the bell obsoleteTo be superior in something.
- pass obsoleteTo transcend; to surpass; to excel; to exceed.
verbTo be much better than others.
verbTo exceed, to go beyond.
- overstep
- transgress
- go beyondTo be more than (something); to be better than (something); to surpass (something).
- breach
- cap
- outreach
- outcompassTo exceed the limits of; to surpass, transcend or go beyond.
- outstepTo step or go beyond; exceed; overstep.
- overpass
- overreachTo reach above or beyond, especially to an excessive degree.
- overstrideTo excel or surpass.
- forpass obsolete
- overgo obsoleteTo go beyond; to exceed, surpass.
- trespass obsolete
verbMore synonyms
- bang slangTo be excellent; to be banging.
- devour slangSynonym of eat: to be very good at something; to slay.
- eat slangTo do or perform well and stunningly; to consume a challenge successfully and stylishly; to rule, to slay.
- eat and leave no crumbs slangTo do or perform in a thorough and stunning manner without mess or wasted opportunity; to wholly consume a challenge...
- go hard slangTo be excellent.
- kick slangTo be emphatically excellent.
- kick ass vulgarTo be very impressive.
- shineTo distinguish oneself; to excel.
- slap slangTo be excellent, especially when relating to music.
- slayTo amaze, stun, or otherwise incapacitate by excellence; to excel at something.
Opposite of excel
verbMore antonyms
- choke colloquial
- fail
- go soft slang
- misperformTo perform badly or wrongly.
- stink
- suck slang, vulgar
- underachieveTo achieve less than expected; to fail to fulfil one's potential.
- underperformTo underachieve; to fail to reach standards or expectations, especially with respect to a financial investment.
Meaning of excel
- verb To surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something.
- verb To do much better than usual.
- verb To be much better than others.
excel in other languages
Questions about synonyms of excel
- What is another word for excel?
- Excel has 56 synonyms on Word.ws, such as top, better, exceed, surpass, outdo, shine, transcend and slay.
- What is the opposite of excel?
- The opposite of excel is underperform.
- What does excel mean?
- Excel means to surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: excel (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of excel.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/excel. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.