What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
excelled
Example
She excelled in her studies and graduated with honors. [excelled: verb]
Example
The team's performance was excellent, and they excelled in every game. [excelled: past tense]
exceed
Example
The cost of the project exceeded our budget. [exceeded: past tense]
Example
The quality of the product exceeded my expectations. [exceeded: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Exceed is more commonly used than excelled in everyday language. Exceed is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while excelled is less common and is often used in academic or professional contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between excelled and exceed?
Excelled is more formal than exceed, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
