as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed
a mall with a surplusage of stores all selling the same lines of clothing
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Recent Examples of surplusage
In everyday speech, in legal texts and even in translations of Genesis, one person’s surplusage may be another person’s way of dealing with inevitable trade-offs between clarity and concision.
—
Sam Bray, Washington Post, 25 June 2017
Sam Bray, Washington Post, 25 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surplusage
Noun
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Here’s where the surplus rule comes in.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
17 Jan. 2026
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If the Cubs are interested in leveraging their infield surplus to address another need on the roster, Hoerner would certainly attract some compelling offers.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Bureaucratic excesses and multi-purpose policies cannot burden it, as was the case with the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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Foamy or Frothy Urine Proteinuria, an excess of protein in the urine, is the second most common symptom of IgA nephropathy after blood in the urine.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surplusage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surplusage. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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