surged; surging
1
: to rise and fall actively : toss
a ship surging in heavy seas
2
: to rise and move in waves or billows : swell
the sea was surging
3
: to slip around a windlass, capstan, or bitts
—used especially of a rope
4
: to rise suddenly to an excessive or abnormal value
the stock market surged to a record high
5
: to move with a surge or in surges
felt the blood surging into his face—
Harry Hervey
Harry Herveyshe surged past the other runners
: to let go or slacken gradually
surge a rope
1
: a swelling, rolling, or sweeping forward like that of a wave or series of waves
a surge of interest
2
a
: a large wave or billow : swell
b(1)
: a series of such swells or billows
(2)
: the resulting elevation of water level
3
a
: a movement (such as a slipping or slackening) of a rope or cable
b
: a sudden jerk or strain caused by such a movement
4
: a transient sudden rise of current or voltage in an electrical circuit
Examples of surge in a Sentence
Verb
We all surged toward the door.
She surged past the other runners.
Thoughts of what could happen were surging through his mind.
Housing prices have surged in recent months.
Interest in the sport has been surging.
Noun
The sport is enjoying a surge in popularity.
a surge of support for the candidate
There was a sudden surge toward the door.
There has been a surge of immigrants into the city.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
His findings were blunt: inflammatory posts, particularly those containing false or misleading links, surged in reach.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Separate estimates that take into account the full extent of the Biden-era immigration surge put the number as high as 200,000, although that has likely changed in recent months as the Trump administration has dramatically curbed unauthorized border crossings.
—Joseph Lawler, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surge
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
In the latest quarter, Palantir's sales surged by 39.3%, surpassing Snowflake’s 27.4%.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
His findings were blunt: inflammatory posts, particularly those containing false or misleading links, surged in reach.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Noun
The strands of kelp surfacing on the sand, ripped out by large surf surges, couldn’t serve as a better backdrop for the Laguna Ocean Foundation’s annual KelpFest planned for Saturday, June 7, at Main Beach Park.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Separate estimates that take into account the full extent of the Biden-era immigration surge put the number as high as 200,000, although that has likely changed in recent months as the Trump administration has dramatically curbed unauthorized border crossings.
—Joseph Lawler, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surge
Cite this Entry
“Surge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surge. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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