surf

noun \ ˈsərf \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: surf in a Sentence

Definition of surf

1 : the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore

2 : the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

See surf defined for English-language learners

See surf defined for kids

Examples of surf in a Sentence

We could hear the roar of the surf.
beachgoers romping in the swirling surf

Recent Examples of surf from the Web

High surf and dangerous rip currents are expected to spread from the North Carolina coast to New England for several days.

— alix langone, Time, "This Is Hurricane Chris' Path and Forecast," 10 July 2018
The mother-son pair enjoyed a recent day of sun, surf and sand, snapping a photo together that the pregnant actress shared to Instagram over the weekend.

— jen juneau, PEOPLE.com, "Pregnant Hilary Duff Shows Off Her Baby Bump at the Beach with Son: 'The Adventures We've Had'," 9 July 2018
The band members were working at the Caribbean Sound Basin studio in Trinidad, taking breaks to travel, surf and scuba-dive.

— neil shah, WSJ, "Guns N’ Roses Rakes in Millions on Reunion Tour, but It’s Missing ‘Mr. Invisible’," 27 May 2018
Along the the southwest coast, surf and surge could also pile seawater atop the rain.

— jenny staletovich, miamiherald, "Wind and storm surge watches issued for Florida as Alberto resumes northward trek," 26 May 2018
Just an hour and a half drive westward is Margaret River, a town beloved for its surf and wine.

— christina liao, Vogue, "Why You Should Be Going to Australia for Fresh Black Truffles," 12 July 2018
High surf and dangerous rip currents are expected to spread from the North Carolina coast to New England for several days.

— alix langone, Time, "This Is Hurricane Chris' Path and Forecast," 10 July 2018
The surf & turf, for $59, is served with asparagus, double baked potato and drawn butter.

— patrick z. mcgavin, Daily Southtown, "Guide to outdoor dining in Chicago suburbs: Public Landing in Lockport," 8 July 2018
By day, Legian Beach is crowded with tourists from around the world who come for the sand and surf.

— New York Times, "Saving Turtles in Bali, Egg by Precious Egg," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surf.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of surf

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1685

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

surf Synonyms

Synonyms

foam, froth, head, lather, spume, suds;

Related Words

mousse;

mist, spindrift, spray;

scum;

Other Oceanography Terms

littoral, sound

surf

verb

Definition of surf

surfed; surfing; surfs

intransitive verb

1 : to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)

2 : to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest

transitive verb

: to scan the offerings of (such as television or the Internet) for something of interest

—

surfer

noun

See surf defined for English-language learners

Examples of surf in a Sentence

He learned to surf when he was living in California.

Recent Examples of surf from the Web

But also, to create a kind of community and re-entry point after surfing, like a classic beach shack.

— SFChronicle.com, "25 ways to chase your perfect Bay Area summer," 11 July 2018
Two new water slides Mariner, called Cyclone and Typhoon, spiral around the back of the ship near the new FlowRider surfing pool and Mariner's existing rock-climbing wall.

— gene sloan, USA TODAY, "Royal Caribbean ups ante for short cruises from Miami with revamped Mariner of the Seas," 22 June 2018
Currently, some San Francisco teachers are commuting upward of three hours every day, living in in-law units with no kitchens or couch-surfing with friends.

— heather knight, San Francisco Chronicle, "Teacher housing in San Francisco may be more than just a passing fancy," 10 Apr. 2018
He's surfed some of the best breaks in the world -- from Tahiti to Fiji, South Africa and Australia -- but he's also punched a shark, overcome personal tragedy and career-threatening injuries.

— bianca britton, CNN, "Mick Fanning: 'The ocean humbles you,' says Aussie surfer," 8 Mar. 2018
This will make web-surfing a more pleasant experience for you and me.

— eric limer, Popular Mechanics, "What Is Google Really Up To?," 14 Feb. 2018
Both of my daughters are learning to surf right now.

— lindzi scharf, latimes.com, "The real reason Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman is so passionate about sunscreen," 6 July 2018
But then, over the weekend news broke that Thomas Markle received money from the paparazzi to take photos of him surfing the web for pictures of his daughter and Prince Harry, getting measured for a suit, and working out ahead of the big day.

— rachel epstein, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle's Dad May Walk Her Down the Aisle After All," 15 May 2018
The pictures of Markle surfing the web in an internet cafe for pictures of Harry and Meghan was also reportedly planned.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle's Dad Will Not Attend the Royal Wedding After Heart Attack and Staged Paparazzi Photos," 14 May 2018

First Known Use of surf

1917

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SURF Defined for English Language Learners

surf

noun

Definition of surf for English Language Learners

: large waves that fall on the shore and the white foam and sound that they produce

surf

verb

Definition of surf for English Language Learners

: to ride on ocean waves using a special board (called a surfboard)
: to look for information or other interesting things on the Internet

SURF Defined for Kids

surf

noun \ ˈsərf \

Definition of surf for Students

1 : the waves of the sea that splash on the shore

2 : the sound, splash, and foam of breaking waves

surf

verb

Definition of surf for Students

surfed; surfing

1 : to ride the incoming waves of the sea (as on a surfboard)

2 : to scan a wide range of offerings (as on television or the Internet) for something that is interesting or fills a need

Learn More about surf

See words that rhyme with surf Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for surf Spanish Central: Translation of surf Nglish: Translation of surf for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of surf for Arabic speakers

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surf

Definition of surf

Examples of surf in a Sentence

Recent Examples of surf from the Web

Origin and Etymology of surf

surf Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Oceanography Terms

surf

Definition of surf

surfer

Examples of surf in a Sentence

Recent Examples of surf from the Web

First Known Use of surf

SURF Defined for English Language Learners

surf

Definition of surf for English Language Learners

surf

Definition of surf for English Language Learners

SURF Defined for Kids

surf

Definition of surf for Students

surf

Definition of surf for Students

Learn More about surf

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