surfeit 1 of 2

Definition of surfeitnext

surfeit

2 of 2

verb

as in to glut
to fill with food to capacity having surfeited ourselves on raw oysters, we had to decline the rest of the restaurant's offerings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word surfeit different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of surfeit are cloy, glut, gorge, pall, sate, and satiate. While all these words mean "to fill to repletion," surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

surfeited themselves with junk food

When could cloy be used to replace surfeit?

While in some cases nearly identical to surfeit, cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

In what contexts can glut take the place of surfeit?

While the synonyms glut and surfeit are close in meaning, glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

a market glutted with diet books

Where would gorge be a reasonable alternative to surfeit?

Although the words gorge and surfeit have much in common, gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

gorged themselves with chocolate

When might pall be a better fit than surfeit?

The synonyms pall and surfeit are sometimes interchangeable, but pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

How do satiate and sate relate to one another, in the sense of surfeit?

Both satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel
readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surfeit
Noun
Both men marveled at the surfeit of shovels stacked by the door. Howard Halle, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026 The President and the explorer share a few traits, including a surfeit of self confidence. Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
Here are his first eight lines, in English and Hungarian (thanks to Ádám Nádasdy): Orsino If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it, that surfeiting The appetite may sicken and so die. Literary Hub, 22 Apr. 2026 As a theater critic surfeited with plays, radio dramas worked best for me as an unplanned diversion in my car. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for surfeit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surfeit
Noun
  • In 2022, California recorded a nearly $100 billion surplus, saved just $10 billion in its rainy day fund and then spent the rest.
    Mike Gatto, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
  • Those include requiring property owners to file a claim with the government for any surplus proceeds from the tax sale.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The walls are glutted with oil portraits, and antiques sourced from l’Isle-sur-Sorgue are the real thing; staff are dressed in somewhat cumbersome costume (medieval-style bodices and straw boaters) but ever attentive.
    Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
  • It’s glutted with supporting characters, and the plot still eddies through a series of clearly episodic incidents.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Stylish excesses are dialed back as cleaner camerawork, steadier editing and Farrell’s tender narration let the character breathe, blending sci-fi curiosity with classic detective-story stakes.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • And some creators, like Yeezy, see their right to print guns as an essential bulwark against the darkest excesses of America’s current government.
    Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The turnstones gorge themselves on those eggs before continuing their journey north.
    Torben Rick, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
  • But gorging on pollen alone wasn’t enough to lengthen a life.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • The scent of pistachio and spices invited visitors toward vendors who offered samples of sweets stuffed with dates or nuts and shots of strong black coffee spiced heavily with cardamom.
    Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 21 June 2026
  • All demand is an effect of production, so unless producers are literally stuffing the consumptive fruits of their work into coffee cans, their production is mirrored by consumption.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • What won’t sate is Riley’s mention in April of Plan B being maximizing salary-cap space for free agency 13 months from now, during the 2027 offseason.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2026
  • Her fans, many sporting sheer red gloves, cat ears and varying levels of undress, were eager to be sated and reacted as if their souls were being saved within seconds of the start of each of the 23 songs Grande performed.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Surfeit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surfeit. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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