surmount
verb
sur·mount
sər-ˈmau̇nt 
surmounted; surmounting; surmounts
1
: to prevail over : overcome
surmount an obstacle
2
: to get to the top of : climb
3
: to stand or lie at the top of
4
obsolete
: to surpass in quality or attainment : excel
Did you know?
Our verb mount, meaning "ascend, get up onto", comes from the same Latin root as mountain, and we keep those images in mind when using surmount, since climbing up or over a mountain is a symbol of achievement. The word almost always refers to human effort, and almost always in a positive way; thus, we speak of surmounting difficulties, surmounting problems, surmounting hurdles, surmounting handicaps—you get the idea.
Synonyms
Examples of surmount in a Sentence
an Olympic swimmer who surmounted endless obstacles to achieve her goals
Recent Examples on the Web
High-voltage towers surmounted this islet, the cables themselves, in the dimness, no more than spider’s silk floating in the air.
—
Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
But what was the conflict that needed to be surmounted in order to bring us to this gushing catharsis?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 June 2024
It’s also found ways to clear major technical hurdles that other attempts at this kind of iron refinement have failed to surmount.
—Alison Van Houten, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
The electoral vote system is enshrined in the Constitution, and changing the law would require a constitutional amendment, a hurdle that's been too high to surmount.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surmount 
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Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
But what was the conflict that needed to be surmounted in order to bring us to this gushing catharsis?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 June 2024
It’s also found ways to clear major technical hurdles that other attempts at this kind of iron refinement have failed to surmount.
—Alison Van Houten, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
The electoral vote system is enshrined in the Constitution, and changing the law would require a constitutional amendment, a hurdle that's been too high to surmount.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surmount
Dictionary Entries Near surmount
Cite this Entry
“Surmount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surmount. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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surmount
verb
sur·mount
sər-ˈmau̇nt
1
: overcome sense 1
surmount an obstacle
2
: to get to the top of : climb
3
: to stand or lie at the top of : crown
a weather vane surmounts the roof
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