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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of excess
Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Such showmanship is nothing new; the absence of a center of gravity to check Levinson’s instinct for excess, however, is.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The camera panned to the family once more, this time showing the mom placing a second spoon into the cup and wiping excess off the sides with a napkin.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for excess
Adjective
Following in Pauli’s footsteps, scientists involved in the effort carefully tabulate the electrons’ energies to make stringent measurements of any excess energy that went into making the counterpart neutrinos.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Such showmanship is nothing new; the absence of a center of gravity to check Levinson’s instinct for excess, however, is.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
But no-trade clauses are difficult to navigate, and the Jets’ prospect pool isn’t overflowing with tradeable excess; Winnipeg’s best route to its next top-end player is through a top pick.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The camera panned to the family once more, this time showing the mom placing a second spoon into the cup and wiping excess off the sides with a napkin.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
—Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for excess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excess
Adjective
-
Start networking by reaching out to an old teammate, or look for community events that need an extra pair of hands.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unable to return the surplus, the store gave every box away for free.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Thanks to better weather, cocoa is on track to be in surplus over the course of 2026 for a second year running.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a controversial move, the school board opted to issue lay off notices for every member of the district office’s central staff — including the district’s top leader, Cancy McArn.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Walmart will close its Matteson fulfillment center and lay off 111 employees by May 29, the company said in a March 27 filing with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Anyone who knows Akin’s work will instantly recognize that the movie is shot with a spare, classic aesthetic distinct from his usual thrumming style.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Current plans call for 400 missiles to be deployed operationally, along with an additional 234 units used for testing and spare parts.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nose tackle This draft offers an abundance of big-bodied nose tackles capable of stopping the run, with the opportunity to develop as a pass rusher.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
If everything went right, the OpenAI founders believed, artificial intelligence could usher in a post-scarcity utopia, automating grunt work, curing cancer, and liberating people to enjoy lives of leisure and abundance.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Twenty-four years earlier, Lucescu won the Turkish Super Lig with another of that city’s clubs, Galatasaray, but was sacked at the end of the season.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
His last year was his best, though he was sacked 36 times.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sac State was good at home in the Pavilion, going 10-4 in front of overflow crowds, but the Hornets went winless on the road at 0-16.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Two overflow rooms were set up to accommodate the public interest.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Get a hedge-and-branch trimming bundle at a huge discount.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Airlines are responding cautiously, trimming schedules and adjusting prices in ways that experts say will ripple unevenly across the market but ultimately affect nearly every type of traveler.—
Rio Yamat,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excess. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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