transcendent

adjective

tran·​scen·​dent tran(t)-ˈsen-dənt 

1

a

: exceeding usual limits : surpassing

b

: extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience

c

in Kantian philosophy : being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge

2

: being beyond comprehension

3

: transcending the universe or material existence compare immanent sense 2

4

: universally applicable or significant

… the antislavery movement … recognized the transcendent importance of liberty …

—Laurence H. Tribe

transcendently adverb

Did you know?

The Latin verb scandere means "to climb", so transcend has the basic meaning of climbing so high that you cross some boundary. A transcendent experience is one that takes you out of yourself and convinces you of a larger life or existence; in this sense, it means something close to "spiritual". The American writers and thinkers known as the Transcendentalists, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, believed in the unity of all creation, the basic goodness of humankind, and the superiority of spiritual vision over mere logic. When we speak of the transcendent importance of an issue such as climate change, we may mean that everything else on earth actually depends on it.

Synonyms of transcendent

• transcendental
• supernatural
• paranormal
• metaphysical
• mystical

Examples of transcendent in a Sentence

a firm belief in angels, demons, and other transcendent beings

the star player's transcendent performance helped the team to a surprise victory

Recent Examples on the Web

Josh is a skeptic who gets itchy whenever actors burst into song; Melissa is a believer who longs for a romance so transcendent that it can be expressed only in an airy glissando, opted up an octave. —Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026

Visit Hindu Temples Bali's transcendent charm is rooted in its tens of thousands of Hindu temples, and there are many worth visiting for a dose of impressively ornate architecture and mystical ambience. —Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026

Wellness In what was once a wartime electrical station, the sauna on the edge of the island is a transcendent spot overlooking neighboring Ytstøyna and a shipping lane that sometimes includes giant cruise vessels. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

The creators of some of the most transcendent and popular music ever made have largely fallen off the charts — or simply fallen. —Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin transcendent-, transcendens, present participle of transcendere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for transcendent

• appendant
• ascendant
• attendant
• defendant
• dependant
• dependent
• descendant
• descendent
• intendant
• resplendent
• codefendant
• independent

Kids Definition

transcendent

adjective

tran·​scen·​dent tran(t)s-ˈen-dənt 

1

: superior to or going beyond the usual : extraordinary

2

: going beyond the limits of ordinary experience