surf

1 of 2

noun

ˈsərf 

1

: the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore

2

: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonyms of surf

Noun

• foam

Examples of surf in a Sentence

Noun

We could hear the roar of the surf.

beachgoers romping in the swirling surf

Verb

He learned to surf when he was living in California.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Some hatchlings bolted straight for the surf, while a few needed a gentle nudge from the marine team. —Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2026

Further north along the wild Atlantic coast, Amaria, which opened in 2023, sits inside Costa Vicentina Natural Park near the surf town of Aljezur. —Christine Chitnis, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026

Verb

Since the incident, Rowles has made a full recovery and has returned to surfing in Fiji. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026

The position is a key leadership role as USA Surfing continues to build momentum toward LA28 and long-term surfing success, the organization said at the time. —Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing surf

• crowd-surf
• surf and turf
• surf casting
• surf clam

Rhymes for surf

• scurf
• serf
• turf

Kids Definition

surf

1 of 2 noun

ˈsərf 

1

: waves that break upon the shore

2

: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2 verb

1

: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)

2

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