as in extra
being over what is needed
cleared off all the superfluous stuff on his desk to make room for the new computer
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Recent Examples of superfluous
At a time when Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, and Cervantes were weaving verbal spells upon the stage, music must have seemed a superfluous addition—just as, in England, the mighty lines of Marlowe and Shakespeare hardly cried out for melodic elaboration.
—
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Hayes and Doncic trade throw-in Maxi Kleber are the two legitimate center-sized options on the bench behind Ayton, while 6-foot-8 forward Rui Hachimura and 6-foot-9 forward Jarred Vanderbilt can play some small-ball center minutes, essentially making Koloko superfluous.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Outside help will not be superfluous.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Nov. 2025
There are a few talking heads providing context or explanation, and those talking heads — Ross Matthews, mostly — are easily the worst part of the documentary, or at least the most superfluous part.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Hayes and Doncic trade throw-in Maxi Kleber are the two legitimate center-sized options on the bench behind Ayton, while 6-foot-8 forward Rui Hachimura and 6-foot-9 forward Jarred Vanderbilt can play some small-ball center minutes, essentially making Koloko superfluous.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Outside help will not be superfluous.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Nov. 2025
There are a few talking heads providing context or explanation, and those talking heads — Ross Matthews, mostly — are easily the worst part of the documentary, or at least the most superfluous part.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superfluous
Adjective
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And although lightweight, the shoe doesn’t compromise on support — it’s designed with a memory foam sole that absorbs impact and provides an extra layer of padding.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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While there are plenty of bandages, wraps, and tapes, extra items such as an emergency thermal blanket, flashlights, sting relief, burn compression, and other items elevate this kit to support a variety of solutions.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Doctors put her in a medical coma to drain excess fluid from her body.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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Remove excess moisture to prevent ice crystals from forming on the surface.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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For now, Fitzgerald and Ibáñez best represent surplus options as the Dodgers wait out Edman’s health.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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Tillery says the state could pay by using surplus tax revenue and shifting back to paying for capital expenditures through borrowing instead of cash.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The beauty mogul mingled with stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Chalamet's co-star Odessa A'zion and definitely spent her spare seconds hanging on to to her boyfriend, who took home the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy during the night.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The decor is clean-edged, and an upholstered bed frame—matching the carpet—is bookended with electric paper lanterns, all refreshingly spare.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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An ultra-thin stiletto heel is the perfect counterpoint to the thickness of the platform, creating a sleek, sophisticated look that elongates the legs without adding unnecessary bulk.—
Shelby Comroe,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
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Cleaning Out Your Closet All Year The key to continually getting rid of unnecessary clutter in your closet is by placing a big donation box (or duffle, or trash bag) inside your closet for easy access at the start of each year or season.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superfluous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superfluous. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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