herausragend
outstanding
Far above average; excellent, exceptional, or remarkable.
EXAMPLE
Die Wissenschaftlerin wurde für ihre herausragende Forschungsarbeit ausgezeichnet.
The scientist received an award for her outstanding research work.
herausragend
outstanding / protruding
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
herausragend
protruding
Literally sticking out from a surface or surroundings; physically projecting.
EXAMPLE
Von dem herausragenden Felsen hatte man eine tolle Aussicht auf das Tal.
From the protruding rock, you had a great view of the valley.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Herausragend' is the present participle of the verb 'herausragen' (to stick/project out of something). This literal meaning of 'sticking out' is transferred to the figurative meaning 'excellent'—someone or something stands out from the crowd.
EXAMPLE
Seine Fähigkeiten als Pianist sind wirklich herausragend.
His abilities as a pianist are truly outstanding.
Register
This adjective is strong praise and is often used in formal contexts such as job references, reviews, or award ceremonies. It is significantly stronger and more formal than 'gut' (good) or 'sehr gut' (very good).
EXAMPLE
Das Komitee lobte ihre herausragende Leistung im Projekt.
The committee praised her outstanding performance in the project.
Typical collocations
'Herausragend' (outstanding) often describes abstract nouns such as 'Leistung' (performance/achievement), 'Qualität' (quality), 'Bedeutung' (importance), 'Talent' (talent), or the qualities of people such as 'Wissenschaftler' (scientist) or 'Künstler' (artist).
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein herausragender Experte auf seinem Gebiet.
He is an outstanding expert in his field.
Context clue
The meaning is usually clear from context: if the word describes a physical object (e.g. a rock, a building), it is meant literally. If it describes an ability, performance, or quality, it means 'exzellent' (excellent) in the figurative sense.
EXAMPLE
Der herausragende Turm der Burg ist schon von Weitem sichtbar.
The protruding tower of the castle is visible from far away.
Compare with
herausragend vs hervorragend
excellent / protruding
Hervorragend and herausragend can both praise very high quality or performance. Hervorragend evaluates quality in general, while herausragend emphasizes more strongly that something clearly stands out from comparable things. Choose hervorragend for general praise and herausragend when the comparison is especially important.
herausragend
Die Schülerin hat bei der Prüfung eine herausragende Leistung gezeigt und lag deutlich vor den anderen.
The student gave an outstanding performance in the exam and was clearly ahead of the others.
hervorragend
Die Schülerin hat bei der Prüfung eine hervorragende Leistung gezeigt.
The student gave an excellent performance in the exam.
In real life
Loading video examples...