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
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
Such a poor win to loss ratio would typically lead to thinking that a team should sell off superfluous parts in trades and search for younger players or draft assets in return.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The scenes that work less well and seem virtually superfluous are those with Kumail Nanjiani as Adeel, an environmental activist who drags Aaron along with him to break into a fracking site that is disturbing the breeding ground of…the sage grouse.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
Such a poor win to loss ratio would typically lead to thinking that a team should sell off superfluous parts in trades and search for younger players or draft assets in return.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The scenes that work less well and seem virtually superfluous are those with Kumail Nanjiani as Adeel, an environmental activist who drags Aaron along with him to break into a fracking site that is disturbing the breeding ground of…the sage grouse.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superfluous
Adjective
-
That staunch support takes on extra significance in a hyper-competitive country that often only rewards top winners and punishes those who fall short.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
If Boise State and SDSU both make it, that’s an extra $4 million minimum for the Mountain West.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Potential Risks of Taking Too Much Vitamin D Vitamin D is fat-soluble, and excess amounts can accumulate in the body.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Use a dry cloth to absorb any excess moisture.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But the new rules included a revision mandating that new rooftop solar customers will no longer be credited at the retail rate of electricity when their systems generated surplus energy.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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But the path to income-tax repeal could actually be even simpler, by using surplus revenue to automatically reduce it over time.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Oceane Michelon passed the leaders on the course and used only one spare shot on the range, ensuring France had a solid lead.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Use the three drawers to hold everything from hair products and brushes to mouthwash and makeup, then store larger items like spare towels or bathroom cleaning products on the spacious shelves.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For locals, these sheltered passages can also make surfacing almost unnecessary.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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But their efforts are not enough to save this unnecessary sequel that smacks of a cash grab.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superfluous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superfluous. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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