To refuse to be affected by something negative, such as insults, petty behaviour, or difficult circumstances; to show yourself to be better than a bad situation.
To not let bad things or mean people bring you down or change how you behave.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To not allow negative behaviour or difficult circumstances to affect you or make you react badly.
"She managed to rise above the online criticism and continue her work with dignity."
We must rise above the fear, the frustration, and the despair.
— Nelson Mandela, widely attributed in various speeches and writings
To be better than or superior to a particular level or standard.
"His later novels rise above the genre conventions and become something truly literary."
To physically move or extend to a higher position than something else.
"The tower rises above all the other buildings in the old town."
To physically rise to a position above something.
To not let bad things or mean people bring you down or change how you behave.
Often carries a moral or inspirational tone. Used in motivational contexts and self-help language. Also used literally for physically moving to a higher position, though the figurative sense dominates.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "rise above" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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