Definition Synonyms
Definition of above - Reverso English Dictionary
Preposition
1.
physical positionphysically over or on top of something
- The painting hangs above the fireplace.
2.
quantitymore than a particular number or amount
- Temperatures above 30 degrees are common in summer.
3.
positionbeyond or on the other side of
- The village is above the river.
4.
higher rankranking higher or superior
- She ranks above him in the company hierarchy.
Adverb
1.
higher positionat a higher level or layer
- Look above and see the stars..
2.
quantitymore in number or quantity
- The temperature is above freezing today.
3.
readingearlier in the text or writing
- Refer to the instructions above.
4.
hierarchyhigher in rank or power
- He ranks above all his peers.
Adjective
1.
text referencementioned earlier in a text or document
- The above statement is true.
2.
heavenlyDated related to heaven or the skyDated
- The above light shone brightly.
Noun
1.
writingsection mentioned earlier in a text
- Refer to the above for more details.
2.
hierarchyDated place or state of higher authorityDated
- The decision came from above.
3.
natureDated sky or heavenDated
- He looked up to the above for guidance.
Expressions with above
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
not submerged in water
The boat stayed above water during the storm.
overcome difficulties or challenges
She managed to rise above her financial difficulties..
used to show something is most important or should be considered first
Above all, remember to be kind to others!
something or someone superior
His work is always a cut above.
physically higher than one's head
The shelf was placed above her head.
located at a high altitude
The airplane flew above the clouds.
slightly better or higher in quality
Her performance was a notch above the rest.
shows going further than expected limits or responsibilities
The volunteers worked above and beyond the call of duty.
beyond someone's understanding or comprehension
The math lecture was above my head.
person or thing that is clearly better than others
Their customer service is a cut above the rest.
manage to survive or cope in difficult situations
She struggled to hold her head above water after losing her job..
survive financial difficulties without falling into debt
She worked two jobs to keep her head above water.
in addition to a basic amount, quality, or condition
Employees receive health insurance over and above their regular pay.
perform better than expected, often against stronger opponents
They punch above and surprise everyone in the tournament.
stand much higher than something nearby
The skyscraper towers above the old houses.
far superior to
Her performance was way above the rest of the competitors.
more important than anything else
Above all else, honesty is crucial in a relationship.
beyond one's level of responsibility or authority
This decision is above my pay grade.
significantly superior in quality or ability
Her performance was head and shoulders above the rest.
perform beyond one's expected capacity or capability
The small startup hit above its weight in the tech industry.
command given by someone in authority
The manager followed the order from above without question.
compete against stronger opponents successfully
Despite their size, the team punches above its weight in the league.
compete against stronger opponents
Despite their size, the team punched above their weight in the tournament.
much better or higher in quality than others
This restaurant is several notches above the rest.
Origin of above
Old English, abufan (on high)
Terms with above included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
sky
space above the ground
clothing
footwear extending above the ankle
preference
preferred above all others and treated with partiality
position
suspend from above with no support from below
position
indicating position above and in contact with
above
higher than something else
position
in a position above something else
physical position
located directly above something else
height
man who is notably above average in height
location
located on a floor above
medical
part of the leg above the foot
botany
main part of a plant rising above the ground
fever
above normal body heat indicating illness
gesture
raise one's hands above the head
medical
upper part of the face above the eyes
suspension
suspended from above
relative position
located above another place on a standard map
travel
compartment above seats for luggage in aircraft
value
having a value above that which is stated
elevation
elevated above the surrounding area
armed forces
noncommissioned rank above corporal, sometimes top enlisted grade
enthusiastic approval
excellent, far above normal
spatial position
in the upper parts or above
prices
slightly above the normal level
Examples of above in a sentence
Clouds gathered above the mountain peak. The budget for the project is above $1 million. Children above the age of 12 can participate. The stars were visible above the clouds. The painting hung above the fireplace. The general is above the colonel in the military.
In the list, her name is above yours. Birds were flying above in the clear sky. The attic is just above the second floor. Sales figures are above expectations this quarter. The water level rose above the danger mark. As noted above, the deadline is Friday. See the chart above for the results. She is above him in the company hierarchy. The general stands above the colonel in command. Refer to the above paragraph for details. The above chart shows the trend clearly. The above realm is a place of peace. Her dreams were filled with above visions. The above explains the policy clearly. Please see the above before replying. The orders were issued from the above without explanation. In the company, decisions are made by the above. Birds soared through the above at dawn. The above was filled with stars that night.
View all translations of above
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:au-dessus de, en haut, ...
- German:über, oben, ...
- Italian:sopra, in alto, ...
- Spanish:sobre, arriba, ...
- Portuguese:acima de, superior a, ...
- Chinese:在...上方, 上方, ...
- Japanese:~の上に, 上方に, ...
- Arabic:فَوْقَ, فَوْق, ...
- Hebrew:מֵעַל, לְמַעְלָה, ...
- Russian:над, больше, ...
- Ukrainian:над, більше, ...
- Hindi:के ऊपर, ऊपर की ओर, ...
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