What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Above vs Beyond - What's the difference?

above | beyond |

As prepositions the difference between above and beyond

is that above is physically over; on top of; worn on top of, as clothing while beyond is further away than.

As adverbs the difference between above and beyond

is that above is directly overhead; vertically on top of while beyond is farther along or away.

As nouns the difference between above and beyond

is that above is heaven while beyond is the unknown.

As an adjective above

is of heaven; heavenly.

above

English

Preposition

(English prepositions)
  • Physically over; on top of; worn on top of, as clothing.
  • In or to a higher place; higher than; on or over the upper surface; — opposed to below'' or ''beneath .
  • * (rfdate) Translation of (Genesis) 2:20,
  • Fowl that may fly above the earth.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author=[http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/william-e-conner-1 William E. Conner]
  • , title=[http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/2013/3/an-acoustic-arms-race An Acoustic Arms Race] , volume=101, issue=3, page=206-7, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close (less than half a meter) above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them.}}
  • Farther north than.
  • Rising; appearing out of reach height-wise.
  • Figuratively, higher than; superior to in any respect; surpassing; higher in measure, degree, volume, or pitch, etc. than; out of reach; not exposed to; not likely to be affected by; incapable of negative actions or thoughts.
  • * (rfdate) (Marlowe),
  • Thy worth […] is actions above my gifts.
  • * (rfdate) translation of 36:13,
  • I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun.
  • Higher in rank, status, or position.
  • In addition to; besides.
  • Surpassing in number or quantity; more than; as, above a hundred.
  • In preference to.
  • Too proud to stoop; averse to; disinclined; too honorable to give.
  • (theater) Upstage.
  • Beyond; on the other side.
  • Usage notes

    * (surpassing in number or quantity) Passing into the adverbial sense.

    Derived terms

    * above all * above average * above one's bend * above the law * above the salt * over and above

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Directly overhead; vertically on top of.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=The climate of Tibet: Pole-land
  • , date=2013-05-11, volume=407, issue=8835, page=80 , magazine=(The Economist) , url=http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21577341-worlds-third-largest-area-ice-about-undergo-systematic , passage=Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest. It is binary. And for the land beneath, the air above and the life around, it changes everything.}}
  • Higher in the same page; earlier in the order as far as writing products go.
  • * (rfdate)
  • That was said above .
  • Into or from heaven; in the sky.
  • He's in a better place now, floating free as the clouds ''above .
  • In a higher place; upstairs; farther upstream.
  • Higher in rank, power, or position.
  • He appealed to the court above .
  • (archaic) In addition.
  • More in number.
  • Above zero; above freezing.
  • It was a cold day at only 5 above .
  • (biology) On the upper half or the dorsal surface of an animal.
  • The sparrow I saw was rufous above and off-white below.

    Derived terms

    * "Above" is also used as the first part of a compound in the sense of before'', ''previously''; as, ''above''-cited, ''above''-described, ''above''-mentioned, ''above''-named, ''above''-said, ''above''-specified, ''above''-written, ''above -given.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of heaven; heavenly.
  • Being located higher on the same page or on a preceding page.
  • Usage notes

    * Above is often used elliptically as an adjective by omitting the word said'', ''mentioned'', ''quoted , or the like: ** the above (-said) observations ** the above (-cited) reference ** the above (-quoted) articles

    Noun

    (-)
  • Heaven.
  • Something, especially a person's name in legal documents, that appears higher on the same page or on a preceding page.
  • Higher authority.
  • Usage notes

  • Above is often used further elliptically as a noun by omitting the noun, where it is should be clear what is omitted.
  • See the above .

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "The vertical axis", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8 * *

    beyond

    English

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Further away than.
  • On the far side of.
  • Later than; after.
  • Greater than; so as to exceed or surpass.
  • :
  • In addition to.
  • Past, or out of reach of.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2012, date=September 7, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Moldova 0-5 England , passage=England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco.}}

    See also

    * para-

    Synonyms

    * ayond * ayont

    Antonyms

    * before * earlier

    Derived terms

    * beyond a reasonable doubt * beyond compare * beyond doubt * beyond one's ken * beyond question * beyond recognition * beyond the black stump * beyond the pale

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Farther along or away.
  • In addition; more.
  • Synonyms

    * ayond, ayont (obsolete)

    Noun

    (-)
  • The unknown.
  • The hereafter.
  • Derived terms

    * back of beyond * great beyond

    Statistics

    *