Surplus — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs/ sur·plus

Meaning & Definition of Surplus

Surplus (noun)

  1. the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied
  2. an excess of receipts over disbursements
  3. the excess of a corporation's net worth over the par or stated value of its stock

Surplus (adjective)

  1. more than the amount that is needed, constituting a surplus

Surplus (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being over what is needed

    "surplus stock gets shipped to the warehouse and is eventually sold at auction"

    similar: excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary
    related: accessory, additional, supplemental, supplementary, de trop, dispensable, extraneous, gratuitous, needless, nonessential, uncalled-for, unessential, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted, abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, plenteous, plentiful
    near: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, short, shortish, skimpy, sparse

Surplus (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed

    "we have a surplus of plastic knives, but we're short on forks and spoons for the picnic"

    similar: bellyful, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plethora, plus, redundancy, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplusage
    related: abundance, bounty, plentitude, plenty, profusion, sufficiency, overproduction, overstock
    opposite: deficiency, deficit, insufficiency, undersupply
    near: dearth, lack, scarcity, want

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Surplus

The most common words with a similar meaning to Surplus:

excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary, bellyful, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plethora, plus, redundancy, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplusage

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Surplus

Words with the opposite meaning of Surplus:

deficiency, deficit, insufficiency, undersupply

Related Words for Surplus

accessory, additional, supplemental, supplementary, de trop, dispensable, extraneous, gratuitous, needless, nonessential, uncalled-for, unessential, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted, abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, plenteous, plentiful, abundance, bounty, plentitude, plenty, profusion, sufficiency, overproduction, overstock

Near Antonyms of Surplus

deficient, inadequate, insufficient, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, short, shortish, skimpy, sparse, dearth, lack, scarcity, want

Origin & Etymology of Surplus

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin superplus, from Latin super- + plus more plus

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Surplus

Words & Phrases Containing Surplus

surplus value, surplus to requirements, budget surplus, trade surplus

Frequently Asked Questions about Surplus

What does "Surplus" mean?

"Surplus" means the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Surplus"?

Other words for "Surplus" include excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary and bellyful. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Surplus" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Surplus"?

There are 52 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Surplus". Common alternatives include excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary, bellyful, fat and overabundance.

What is the opposite of "Surplus"?

Antonyms of "Surplus" include deficiency, deficit, insufficiency and undersupply. Near antonyms include deficient, inadequate, insufficient and meager.

How do you use "Surplus" in a sentence?

Examples of "Surplus" in a sentence: "surplus stock gets shipped to the warehouse and is eventually sold at auction"; "we have a surplus of plastic knives, but we're short on forks and spoons for the picnic".

Is "Surplus" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Surplus" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Surplus" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Surplus" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Surplus"?

"Surplus" is pronounced /ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs/ and divided into syllables as sur·plus.