surplus meaning

surplus as an adjective

1. more than is needed, desired, or required
   • trying to lose excess weight
   • found some extra change lying on the dresser
   • yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant
   • skills made redundant by technological advance
   • sleeping in the spare room
   • supernumerary ornamentation
   • it was supererogatory of her to gloat
   • delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words
   • extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts
   • surplus cheese distributed to the needy

   Synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary

   Similar: unnecessary

surplus as a noun

1. a quantity much larger than is needed

   Synonyms: excess, surplusage, nimiety

   Type of: overabundance

How to pronounce surplus

surplus is pronounced /ˈsɜːpləs/ in British English and /ˈsɝpləs/ in American English. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.