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
-
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, one of Mangione's lead defense lawyers, asked for several months of extra time, saying Mangione's legal team needed to prepare for the federal case after his state trial.—
Michael Ruiz , Maria Paronich,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The company is considering a dual-class share structure in the listing that would potentially give insiders such as Musk extra voting power to dominate decision making.—
Bailey Lipschultz,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My Supercharged experience was enhanced by the lack of wait, basically a walk-on.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The former Nebraska walk-on played a key role in lifting A&M's 30th-ranked rushing attack and made crucial plays in the passing game, including the go-ahead touchdown against Notre Dame.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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,
27 Mar. 2026
-
At the end of both World War I and World War II, combatant nations, both victorious and defeated, found themselves with hundreds of thousands of tons of surplus munitions.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 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
-
The state’s Surplus Land Act requires, in many situations, that local governments selling excess property prioritize affordable housing and give such developers the first pass at negotiating for the land.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Now, his legendary rock 'n' roll excess takes center stage in the documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Gardner was kept busy tossing out his hat, some spare boots, flashlight, and other gear to mark the places at which the meat was being jettisoned.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The country will have roughly 400 gigawatts of spare power capacity by 2030, equal to three times what the world will need to meet data center demands, according to Goldman Sachs.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Original costar Rosa Salazar then dropped out of the series, with Fumero stepping into her role.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Days prior, news broke that police were investigating a domestic dispute between her costar, Taylor Frankie Paul, and Paul's ex-partner, Dakota Mortenson.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Guardians led 1-0 on Steven Kwan's RBI double in the right field corner off Roki Sasaki, the first of three consecutive Japanese starters scheduled for the Dodgers in the series.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The inning included two-run doubles by Willi Castro and Ezequiel Tovar.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Supernumerary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supernumerary. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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