surf

1 of 2

noun

ˈsərf 

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

Synonyms

Noun

• foam
• froth
• head
• lather
• spume
• suds

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

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

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

Phrases Containing surf

• crowd surf
• surf and turf
• surf casting
• surf clam

Rhymes for surf

• scurf
• serf
• turf

Kids Definition

surf

1 of 2 noun

ˈsərf 

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