as in extra
being over what is needed
a third, supernumerary witness to the signing of the will
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in walk-on
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Recent Examples of supernumerary
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Mounted at a user's hips, a supernumerary robotic arm can do things like hold tools, pick apples, play badminton, and even smash through a wall, all while under the remote control of a nearby human.
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2020
That’s quite a bit of digitalization for a car that proudly clings to such a traditionalist trope as a supernumerary cylinder count; even Ferrari’s new range-topping, $3.9 million F80 hybrid sports only six cylinders.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2025
The supernumerary robotic leg is more autonomous, able to assist with several different human gaits at a brisk walk and add as much as 84 watts of power.
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2020
Victoria Petrovich’s set was minimal but useful, but some of Rosie Glen-Lambert’s direction struck me as wrong-headed, nowhere more so than in a supernumerary robot’s contemplation of male reproductive parts.
—Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2024
But the Honda Super Cub’s larger-than-life origin story and supernumerary achievements earn it entry into our list because this pint-sized scoot is nothing short of a two-wheeled legend.
—Peter Jackson, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024
The Lucid Air launched to supernumerary acclaim, boasting nearly four-figure horsepower and over 500 miles of range.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2023
Biopsy and excision of this mass confirmed the presence of a functional supernumerary nipple.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 5 May 2017
Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
One of West Hartford’s earlier patrol officers, Martin McCue, started as a part-time supernumerary in 1929 and became a full-time officer a year later.
—Don Stacom, courant.com, 12 Nov. 2020
As reported by ITV News, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and King Felipe VI of Spain are being invested as supernumerary, or Stranger Knights of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth in this year's ceremony.
—Amy MacKelden, Harper's BAZAAR, 17 June 2019
Aside from work and travel, Mrs. Gradet was an extra — or supernumerary — in several productions of the Baltimore Opera, along with her husband and children.
—Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, 20 May 2018
Broken into six-hour installments spaced out over two weeks, the hallucinatory concert extravaganza is being custom tailored, with local musicians, guest artists and glittery supernumeraries brought in for the occasion.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 14 Mar. 2018
History will be merciless to them, but how much fun to watch them reduced to thunderstruck supernumeraries in real time.
—Frank Rich, Daily Intelligencer, 13 Sep. 2017
Adjective
This is not the pruning of a smattering of supernumerary employees, these are entire branches of the CDC felled.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Mounted at a user's hips, a supernumerary robotic arm can do things like hold tools, pick apples, play badminton, and even smash through a wall, all while under the remote control of a nearby human.
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2020
That’s quite a bit of digitalization for a car that proudly clings to such a traditionalist trope as a supernumerary cylinder count; even Ferrari’s new range-topping, $3.9 million F80 hybrid sports only six cylinders.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2025
The supernumerary robotic leg is more autonomous, able to assist with several different human gaits at a brisk walk and add as much as 84 watts of power.
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2020
Victoria Petrovich’s set was minimal but useful, but some of Rosie Glen-Lambert’s direction struck me as wrong-headed, nowhere more so than in a supernumerary robot’s contemplation of male reproductive parts.
—Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2024
But the Honda Super Cub’s larger-than-life origin story and supernumerary achievements earn it entry into our list because this pint-sized scoot is nothing short of a two-wheeled legend.
—Peter Jackson, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024
The Lucid Air launched to supernumerary acclaim, boasting nearly four-figure horsepower and over 500 miles of range.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2023
Biopsy and excision of this mass confirmed the presence of a functional supernumerary nipple.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 5 May 2017
Noun
Scenes are often crowded with supernumeraries.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
One of West Hartford’s earlier patrol officers, Martin McCue, started as a part-time supernumerary in 1929 and became a full-time officer a year later.
—Don Stacom, courant.com, 12 Nov. 2020
As reported by ITV News, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and King Felipe VI of Spain are being invested as supernumerary, or Stranger Knights of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth in this year's ceremony.
—Amy MacKelden, Harper's BAZAAR, 17 June 2019
Aside from work and travel, Mrs. Gradet was an extra — or supernumerary — in several productions of the Baltimore Opera, along with her husband and children.
—Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, 20 May 2018
Broken into six-hour installments spaced out over two weeks, the hallucinatory concert extravaganza is being custom tailored, with local musicians, guest artists and glittery supernumeraries brought in for the occasion.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 14 Mar. 2018
History will be merciless to them, but how much fun to watch them reduced to thunderstruck supernumeraries in real time.
—Frank Rich, Daily Intelligencer, 13 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supernumerary
Adjective
-
There is no extra cost to the fare when booking the stopover.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
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
-
His brother, Mason, is a walk-on linebacker at UTSA.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 June 2025
-
His first college coach, Paul Tidwell, remembers Boyer arriving at Snow Junior College in Ephraim, Utah, as a 180-pound walk-on linebacker with no college offers and no fanfare.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
There are 26 other states with surplus funds in their insurance premium pools.—
Lexi White,
Baltimore Sun,
20 May 2025
-
The Mountain View Community Church food ministry program, managed by Heather Winters, partners with Fresh Rescue, a San Diego Food Bank program in which edible, surplus food from grocery stores and restaurants is set aside for nonprofit partners to collect on a scheduled basis.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
Nike has been putting together a bespoke team for the high profile project, which had been kept as concealed as excess flesh under a Skims outfit for more than a year until the noisy announcement in February.—
Mark Faithfull,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
-
City officials said that hydrology studies for the proposal show no negative impacts and that trench drains would capture any excess water, which would then flow to the nearby Laguna Channel and out to the ocean at Main Beach Park.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
The two aircraft may have been used as spare parts for the other operational aircraft.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 June 2025
-
In 2011, Boeing was found to have been grossly overcharging the Army for spare helicopter parts; a four-cent metal pin, for example, was billed at $71.01.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Sources told the Hollywood Reporter that Anderson and her costar ultimately took home equal pay for the series.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
-
The two would later appear as costars in Citizen Ruth (1996), Daddy and Them (2001), Inland Empire (2006) and on HBO's Enlightened.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
People.com,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Supernumerary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supernumerary. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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