beyond
Americanpreposition
-
on, at, or to the farther side of.
Beyond those trees you'll find his house.
-
farther on than; more distant than.
beyond the horizon;
beyond the sea.
-
outside the understanding, limits, or reach of; past.
beyond comprehension;
beyond endurance;
beyond help.
-
superior to; surpassing; above.
wise beyond all others.
-
more than; in excess of; over and above.
to stay beyond one's welcome.
adverb
idioms
preposition
-
at or to a point on the other side of; at or to the further side of
beyond those hills there is a river
-
outside the limits or scope of
beyond this country's jurisdiction
adverb
-
at or to the other or far side of something
-
outside the limits of something
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of beyond
First recorded before 1000; Middle English beyonden, Old English begeondan. See be-, yond (adverb)
Explanation
Beyond is an adverb that means “in addition” or “farther along." If you’re headed to the silo beyond the barn, that means you’re going to the silo that’s on the far side of the barn. Beyond is related to the word yonder, which you might have heard in expressions like, “Over yonder hill, you’ll see a picket fence.” Yonder kind of means “that one over there, in the distance.” Beyond is past yonder. If you’re going above and beyond, it means you’re doing more than was expected. If you’re beyond Kelly in your math homework, it means you’ve done more than she has. And if the show was beyond your expectations, it was better than you had hoped.
Vocabulary lists containing beyond
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Researchers must also establish whether antibody testing provides meaningful benefits beyond existing genetic information, clinical assessments, and other blood-based measurements.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
First, it appears you’re already aware of the first one — making sure you know the school’s cost of attendance and not spending any 529 money beyond that amount or else the expense won’t qualify.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026
A fancy way of saying, beyond the short-term announcements and clear long-term aspirations, what is this government actually going to do?
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
The stock nearly quadrupled in two months, even though many analysts saw a scientific milestone whose reach beyond melanoma was still unproven.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
When we moved here, especially after I met Russell, my world had expanded beyond Chinatown.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
