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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
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Meanings
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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 durchschnittlich
average
'durchschnittlich' and 'herausragend' both describe how good or noticeable something is. 'durchschnittlich' means that something is average and roughly matches the usual level. 'herausragend' means that something is clearly better than normal. You use 'durchschnittlich' when you do not want to emphasize any special strength. 'herausragend' fits when a performance, result, or quality really stands out.
herausragend
Frau Müller hat für ihr herausragendes Projekt einen Preis bekommen.
Ms. Müller received a prize for her outstanding project.
durchschnittlich
Seine Prüfung war durchschnittlich, deshalb war er weder sehr zufrieden noch enttäuscht.
His exam was average, so he was neither very satisfied nor disappointed.
In real life
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