outcompass · verb — to exceed the limits of; to surpass, transcend or go beyond. It carries an Arena rating of 1325, earned across 21 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, outcompass ranks #666 of 17,134 for Most Sublime Words, #1,558 of 17,152 for The Improbable, #3,786 of 17,150 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #5,056 of 17,149 for Most Whimsical Words.
Why “outcompass” is a great word
To exceed the limits or scope of something. From the English prefix out- (meaning 'beyond' or 'surpassing') + compass (in its archaic sense of 'boundary, limit, or scope'). Unlike 'surpass,' which implies a greater degree or amount, or 'transcend,' which suggests a spiritual rising-above, to outcompass is to simply step past a defined line. It is the surveyor’s line disappearing into the marsh, the argument that inadvertently dismantles its own premise, or the grief that will not be contained by the rituals of mourning—a quiet testament to the fact that every enclosure creates its own outside.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From out- + compass (“limit”).
verb
- To exceed the limits of; to surpass, transcend or go beyond.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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