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
My small room seemed to be visibly clouded by the stink of my body and the stink of my superfluous thinking.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Like a sloppy writer adding superfluous words, other jacket companies often add doo-dads to their jackets that look good in marketing materials but make no difference in the performance.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside, 16 Feb. 2026
In the brightly billboarded carcass of a West Coast city, private security shields the corporate enclaves of a tech élite from the shantytowns of the economically superfluous.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Clé de Peau Beauté Precious Gold Vitality Serum The gold in this serum’s name is not superfluous or simply a nod to the bottle’s luxe color.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Like a sloppy writer adding superfluous words, other jacket companies often add doo-dads to their jackets that look good in marketing materials but make no difference in the performance.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside, 16 Feb. 2026
In the brightly billboarded carcass of a West Coast city, private security shields the corporate enclaves of a tech élite from the shantytowns of the economically superfluous.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Clé de Peau Beauté Precious Gold Vitality Serum The gold in this serum’s name is not superfluous or simply a nod to the bottle’s luxe color.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superfluous
Adjective
-
Surcharges to cover rising fuel costs can't be added retroactively to existing bookings—so travelers who have purchased their airfares shouldn't worry about getting hit with extra fees.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Juegoal Window Hummingbird Feeder Window hummingbird feeders are an extra-fun way to watch the birds at home, attracting hummers for an up-close view.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Under this Moon-Jupiter opposition, your family zone and your career quadrant are at risk of experiencing excess tension.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The probes, which will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, aim to identify unfair trade practices, particularly structural excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, a Democrat, has called for building more than two million homes on surplus land that schools have.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
11 Mar. 2026
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But the update also decreed that new rooftop solar customers would no longer be credited at the retail rate of electricity when their systems generated surplus energy.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Stacks of his plates once filled every spare inch of this restaurant.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Service for products on the vintage list depends on spare parts availability, whereas Apple does not provide hardware service or parts for products on the obsolete list.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
So that's unnecessary traffic that comes through.—
Veronica Ortega,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
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As my diagnostic experience illustrates, many of us are told that memory changes are normal aging and that pushing for answers is unnecessary.—
Shon Lowe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superfluous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superfluous. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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