rise above
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To ignore petty or trivial issues and do what one is supposed to; to act better than someone or something inappropriate.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
We must rise above ourselves. We must rise above what it means to be human. We must rise above what our ordinary consciousness inspires us to do. We must rise above our needs, our self-interest, our greed, our hunger.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To prevent something unfortunate or traumatic from affecting oneself.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “rise above” mean?
To ignore petty or trivial issues and do what one is supposed to; to act better than someone or something inappropriate.
Is “rise above” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.