SURPLUSAGE Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

surplusage

noun

ˈsər-(ˌ)plə-sij

Definition of surplusage

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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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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for surplusage

Noun

Any business can be people-owned and operated, with surplus revenue going back to the customers and employees instead of to shareholders.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Menswear publications also began spotlighting military surplus liners as standalone jackets rather than removable insulation, and the style eventually expanded into designer collections and shopping guides.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of surplus

Noun

Trump is right to want to tame inequality, scale back some of the excesses of globalization, and secure supply chains of critical goods.

— Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
In the 40 years since, every facet of Spacemen 3’s story has been turned over and generously embellished, resulting in an excess of grandeur and foresight projected onto the duo at the heart of it.

— Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of excess

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surplus

surplusage

surplusages

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“Surplusage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surplusage. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of surplusage

noun

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