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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
-
Philadelphia took advantage of extra chances early, notching 10 second-chance points in the opening frame.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
-
News of the ocean liner’s peril was carved into a late, extra edition of the Tribune on April 15, 1912, and much of the account was devoted to the prominent people aboard.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Moore was once a walk-on at NIU himself.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In 2025, the former walk-on piled up 563 punt-return yards, 476 kickoff-return yards and four return touchdowns, bringing his career total to six.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Michlewitz said Wednesday that for the past two years, after the surplus surtax supplemental budgets, transportation initiatives have actually received more funding in total, even though education programs get more surtax funding through the general budget each year.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The proposal to declare the surplus property was discussed as a special board meeting April 13.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Simpson emerged as a spear-carrier for Social Security benefit cuts in 2010, when he was appointed the GOP co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, established by Barack Obama as a sop to conservative deficit hawks.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Drain and rinse the quinoa and shake off excess water.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
But then suddenly after a winter of heavy rain followed by hot weather, long-dormant pathogenic fungi suddenly come to life due to excess water in the root zone and bring about the tree’s demise.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Bohm, who erected a shrine to the baseball gods using spare bats in an empty locker adjacent to his, just embodies the frustration.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The reason the Iran war has been so disruptive, Pouyanné said, is that there is zero spare capacity in the fossil fuel supply chain.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While appearing on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live alongside The Devil Wears Prada 2 costars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci, the Oscar-winning actress, 76, opened up about a potential future collaboration with her Only Murders in the Building costar Martin Short.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Her speech was interrupted by Carpenter's former Girl Meets World costar Corey Fogelmanis, who portrayed a waiter asking her to pay her bill in the live segment.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Maddie Murray and Zahria Hatcher each had a pair of doubles for Andrew (9-8,2-4).—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Caleb Durbin had an RBI double in the ninth for Boston’s only other run.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Supernumerary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supernumerary. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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