as in extra
being over what is needed
cleared off all the superfluous stuff on his desk to make room for the new computer
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Recent Examples of superfluous
My small room seemed to be visibly clouded by the stink of my body and the stink of my superfluous thinking.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Like a sloppy writer adding superfluous words, other jacket companies often add doo-dads to their jackets that look good in marketing materials but make no difference in the performance.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside, 16 Feb. 2026
In the brightly billboarded carcass of a West Coast city, private security shields the corporate enclaves of a tech élite from the shantytowns of the economically superfluous.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Clé de Peau Beauté Precious Gold Vitality Serum The gold in this serum’s name is not superfluous or simply a nod to the bottle’s luxe color.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Like a sloppy writer adding superfluous words, other jacket companies often add doo-dads to their jackets that look good in marketing materials but make no difference in the performance.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside, 16 Feb. 2026
In the brightly billboarded carcass of a West Coast city, private security shields the corporate enclaves of a tech élite from the shantytowns of the economically superfluous.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Clé de Peau Beauté Precious Gold Vitality Serum The gold in this serum’s name is not superfluous or simply a nod to the bottle’s luxe color.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superfluous
Adjective
-
The exhibition requires an extra ticket, $7-$9, in addition to museum general admission ($26 for adults, $21 for kids).—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The 28-year-old swung a hot bat before his injury and is 4 for 5 with the pair of extra base hits since his return.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Under this Moon-Jupiter opposition, your family zone and your career quadrant are at risk of experiencing excess tension.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The probes, which will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, aim to identify unfair trade practices, particularly structural excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If Berríos misses time, Lauer would go from a seemingly surplus arm to the team’s sixth starter.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, a Democrat, has called for building more than two million homes on surplus land that schools have.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Stacks of his plates once filled every spare inch of this restaurant.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Service for products on the vintage list depends on spare parts availability, whereas Apple does not provide hardware service or parts for products on the obsolete list.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Currently, ratepayers can see anywhere from $20-$100 every month in these types of unnecessary surcharges alone on their bill.—
Jason Buckel,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Still, the counterargument is that reverse location warrants gather data about anyone – opening them up to unnecessary law enforcement scrutiny.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superfluous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superfluous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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