as in extra
being over what is needed
any excess food from the party will be donated to a shelter for the homeless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed
a new television season with an excess of sitcoms featuring wisecracking teenagers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessiveness
a propensity for extremes in one's actions, beliefs, or habits
the wretched excess that is so often found in the world of show business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to lay off
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of excess
Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, 11 July 2019
Meacham is a nonideological historian and McGraw is a country star, two professions that were built for caution, something McGraw occasionally takes to excess.
—Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, 11 July 2019
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
Whether excess fluoride is actually the cause is also unclear.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 28 June 2025
The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Just after the plant finishes blooming, prune excess growth back to 6 inches.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for excess
Adjective
Meacham is a nonideological historian and McGraw is a country star, two professions that were built for caution, something McGraw occasionally takes to excess.
—Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, 11 July 2019
Meacham is a nonideological historian and McGraw is a country star, two professions that were built for caution, something McGraw occasionally takes to excess.
—Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, 11 July 2019
Noun
Remove any excess grease, then use your bristle brush to do a preliminary scrub of the cold grill grates.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
Whether excess fluoride is actually the cause is also unclear.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 28 June 2025
Verb
Yet the Iceland international midfielder quickly came to be seen as a symbol of the regime’s financial excess and muddled thinking.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Just after the plant finishes blooming, prune excess growth back to 6 inches.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for excess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excess
Adjective
-
At the time, Michelle, now 38, welcomed the extra opportunity to see her baby on the screen.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
25 June 2025
-
This simple, oversized button-down shirt can be thrown over a tank top for extra coverage, worn with trousers for a dinner out, or used to elevate a pair of classic jeans.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
At the end of the Cryogenian, when the ice melted and the frozen continents thawed, a surplus of nutrient-rich meltwater flooded Earth.—
David Bressan,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Today, the company focuses on securing land with surplus electricity — renewable, solar, wind, nuclear, grid or off-grid — and reliable internet connectivity.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
In December 2021, the company abruptly laid off 900 employees via a Zoom call, and the CEO's delivery was widely criticized as insensitive.—
Tony Butler-Sims,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Thousands of private government consultants laid off during the Trump administration’s cost-cutting crusade are increasingly flooding a shrinking labor market.—
Ani Freedman,
Fortune,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Everyone’s here to make one another better, to share tidbits of information, spare knowledge, and that’s the coolest part for me.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
-
More than a third of the FAA’s 138 ATC systems can no longer be reliably maintained, due to shortages of spare parts and funding, and another 39% were at risk of deteriorating beyond repair, the Government Accountability Office reported last year.—
Jeremy Bogaisky,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Eight days later, in a game relocated to Glendale, Ariz., because of deadly wildfires in Southern California, Darnold was sacked nine times and had two turnovers (including a fumble returned for touchdown) in a 27-9 loss.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
Nix turned the ball over just eight times and was sacked 20 times in those final 13 games.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
17 June 2025
Verb
-
There had been rumors that Brown could be traded this offseason, as the Celtics continue to trim a significant amount of money off their books.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
-
That 90 gets trimmed to 53 by the start of the season.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
Kids who try to end-run this will have their streams removed and live chat disabled.—
Danny Bakst,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
-
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials removed the alligators, allowing divers to recover a deceased male from the vehicle.—
Chris Anderson,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
The brothers have brought over recipes from their family bakery in Turkey and downsized each pastry, from chocolate éclairs to cream buns, into bite-size portions.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
28 June 2025
-
The administration is already defending itself in more than 400 challenges to Trump’s sweeping efforts to downsize and reshape the federal government, swiftly deport migrants, end diversity initiatives, impose tariffs and go after adversaries.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excess. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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