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
From a surfeit of forwards, the Mavs are glaringly lacking in guards. John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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 But the younger people making theater now are drawn to it now because they’ve been surfeited with digital culture. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for surfeit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surfeit
Noun
  • His ability to not only balance our budget but to turn a surplus while adding so many citizens is a model that should be applauded and envied.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
  • That program also is slated to share in future state surpluses to increase its scope.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This year, holiday gatherings were scrapped, the single father’s Christmas budget was slashed in half, and his credit cards were glutted from months of futile efforts to keep up with the rising cost of living.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
  • The International Energy Agency and other industry experts forecast a supply glut next year, which has been a drag on prices.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This included no meaningful excess of memory loss or dementia, depression, sleep disturbance, erectile dysfunction, weight gain, nausea, fatigue or headache.
    Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Bloomberg Intelligence has estimated that if Uber continues to fare poorly in early trials, the company may ultimately have to pay in excess of $500 million to settle more than 3,000 pending cases.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • And all those who find the Dodgers’ gorging offensive also tend to overlook that their spending provides real benefits as well.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Of all the schemes that humans have devised to keep sea lions from gorging on the salmon of the Columbia River basin, none has worked for long.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • By keeping people out of the conversation, utilities can proceed with business-as-usual—stuffing their wallets.
    Kendall Keelen, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
  • She is seen approving invitations, trying on her dress, and, at one point, approving an appetizer that consists of caviar stuffed into a literal golden egg.
    Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Hyundai believes such a production model could meet growing demand for vehicles that combine everyday usability with long-distance travel amenities while simultaneously sating Europe's hunger for electric mobility.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Book a room at the city’s best new hotel, The Telegraph, which marries post-Soviet Brutalist architecture with enough style and comfort to sate the most demanding tastes.
    Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Surfeit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surfeit. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

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