surpassent

Surpassent is the third-person plural present indicative form of the French verb surpasser, meaning to surpass, outdo, or exceed. It is used with plural subjects, as in ils surpassent leurs rivaux or elles surpassent leurs rivales.

Etymology and form: surpasser is built from the prefix sur- meaning “over” or “above” plus passer, “to pass.” The form surpassent follows the standard -er verb conjugation in the present tense for elles/ils.

Usage: Surpassent appears in formal and written French, including journalism, sports reporting, and academic writing, to describe exceeding a standard, goal, or previous performance. It is a close synonym of dépasser, with a nuance that emphasizes overt surpassing of a benchmark or competitor.

Examples: Ex: Les équipes surpassent leurs records cette saison. Ex: Les chiffres surpassent les prévisions. Translations: The teams surpass their records this season; The figures surpass the forecasts.

See also: Related French verbs include surpasser (the infinitive) and dépasser (to exceed or go beyond), which are used in overlapping but distinct contexts. Surpassent as a present tense form is limited to plural subjects and signals ongoing surpassing in the present. In English, the equivalent idea is expressed with verbs such as surpass, exceed, or outstrip depending on nuance.