surplus

1 of 2

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs 

1

a

: the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied

b

: an excess of receipts over disbursements

2

: the excess of a corporation's net worth over the par or stated value of its stock

surplus

2 of 2

adjective

: more than the amount that is needed : constituting a surplus

surplus food/clothing/equipment

When the sea captains returned, they would sell their surplus wares on the wharves.

—Carol Vogel

Long before the comparable worth battles of today, the economic value of women's work was evident to farm women who set prices for the surplus butter, candles, soap, honey, preserves, chickens, and eggs they raised or manufactured.

—Mary Kay Blakely

Synonyms of surplus

Noun

• excess
• overflow

Adjective

• excess
• extra
• spare

Examples of surplus in a Sentence

Noun

If there is any surplus, it will be divided equally.

There is a surplus of workers and not enough jobs.

Adjective

surplus stock gets shipped to the warehouse and is eventually sold at auction

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Trade deficits and foreign investment surplus show voluntary market transactions from which each party expects to benefit, or the transactions would not occur. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026

This spike, a bit higher than Swanson expected, is the result of a global surplus fading and import levels returning to normal. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026

Adjective

Establishing a Pension Acceleration Trust, for example, would direct surplus funds toward permanently reducing pension debt — lowering future obligations and freeing up resources for core priorities. —Carol Platt Liebau, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026

Unlike other insurance companies that write policies based on basic criteria, surplus lines insurers write custom policies, insuring everything from large condominiums to guitarist Keith Richards’ middle finger. —Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin superplus, from Latin super- + plus more — more at plus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1589, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing surplus

• budget surplus
• surplus to requirements
• surplus value
• trade surplus

Rhymes for surplus

• surplice

Kids Definition

surplus

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs 

1

: the amount more than what is required or necessary : excess

2

: an excess of income over spending

surplus adjective

Legal Definition

surplus

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-ˌpləs 

1

a

: an amount that remains when a use or need is satisfied

b

: an excess of receipts over disbursements

c

: the value of assets after subtracting liabilities

2

: an excess of the net worth of a corporation over the par value of its capital stock compare undivided profits

— capital surplus

: all surplus other than earned surplus

— earned surplus

: the surplus that remains after deducting losses, distributions to stockholders, and transfers to capital stock accounts

— paid-in surplus

: surplus resulting from the sale of stock at amounts above par