surplusage

noun

ˈsər-(ˌ)plə-sij How to pronounce surplusage (audio)
Definition of surplusagenext
as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed a mall with a surplusage of stores all selling the same lines of clothing

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surplusage In everyday speech, in legal texts and even in translations of Genesis, one person’s surplusage may be another person’s way of dealing with inevitable trade-offs between clarity and concision. — Sam Bray, Washington Post, 25 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surplusage
  1. surplus
  2. excess
Noun
  • As Italy’s longest river, the Po delivers plenty of nutrients to the lagoons — both from natural sources and from human activities like farming — that provide a surplus of food for sea critters, including blue crabs.
    — Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Lamont’s chief fiscal focus since 2020 has been on channeling $11 billion in surpluses — forced by aggressive savings rules — to whittle down a hefty pension debt created over seven decades prior to 2011.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026
Definition of surplus
Noun
  • Jordan Cvetanovski, chairman and chief investment officer at Pella Funds, said demand for AI infrastructure remains strong as companies race to build computing capacity, but signs of speculative excess are beginning to emerge.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 15 July 2026
  • The rest of the trailer is filled with the kind of Eighties-style excess — with a gruesome tinge — that showcases what a good match Ellis and Murphy are for each other.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026
Definition of excess

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Cite this Entry

“Surplusage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surplusage. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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