excelling

From the verb excel: (⇒ conjugate)

excelling is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•cel /ɪkˈsɛl/   v. [~ (+ in/at) + object] -celled, -cel•ling. 

1. to surpass others or be superior in some respect;
   do extremely well:
   She excels in math.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•cel  (ik sel′), v., -celled, -cel•ling. 
v.i. 

1. to surpass others or be superior in some respect or area;
   do extremely well:
   to excel in math.

v.t. 

2. to surpass;
   be superior to;
   outdo:
   He excels all other poets of his day.

• Latin excellere, equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + -cellere to rise high, tower (akin to celsus high)
• late Middle English excellen 1400–50

Synonyms

• 2. outstrip, eclipse, transcend, exceed, top, beat.
  Excel, outdo, surpass imply being better than others or being superior in achievement. To excel is to be superior in some quality, attainment, or performance:
  to excel opponents at playing chess.
  To outdo is to make more successful effort than others:
  to outdo competitors in the high jump.
  To surpass is to go beyond others, esp. in a contest as to quality or ability:
  to surpass one's classmates in knowledge of corporation law.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

excel / ɪkˈsɛl/ verb ( -cels, -celling, -celled)

1. to be superior to (another or others); surpass
2. (intr; followed by in or at) to be outstandingly good or proficient: he excels at tennis

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin excellere to rise up