surf

1 of 2

noun

1
: the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2

verb

surfed; surfing; surfs

intransitive verb

1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest

transitive verb

: to scan the offerings of (such as television or the Internet) for something of interest
surfer noun

Examples of surf in a Sentence

Noun We could hear the roar of the surf. beachgoers romping in the swirling surf Verb He learned to surf when he was living in California.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Famous for its white sand beaches, big surf, iconic temples, rice terraces and volcanoes, Bali offers visitors an experience unlike any other. Roger Sands, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 The delay also gave sightseers time to explore Alfred’s effects on the coast – including surfers who earlier this week braved waves that by Friday were too dangerous to surf. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
Such activities include stretching, getting coffee, or surfing online for fun. Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 In effect, the particles accelerate by surfing on these waves. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for surf

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surf was in 1685

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surf. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

surf

1 of 2 noun
1
: waves that break upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2 verb
1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something of interest

More from Merriam-Webster on surf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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