surplus

1 of 2

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs 

1

a

: the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied

b

: an excess of receipts over disbursements

2

: the excess of a corporation's net worth over the par or stated value of its stock

surplus

2 of 2

adjective

: more than the amount that is needed : constituting a surplus

surplus food/clothing/equipment

When the sea captains returned, they would sell their surplus wares on the wharves.

—Carol Vogel

Long before the comparable worth battles of today, the economic value of women's work was evident to farm women who set prices for the surplus butter, candles, soap, honey, preserves, chickens, and eggs they raised or manufactured.

—Mary Kay Blakely

Synonyms

Noun

• bellyful
• excess
• fat
• overabundance
• overage
• overflow
• overkill
• overmuch
• overplus
• oversupply
• plethora
• plus
• redundancy
• superabundance
• superfluity
• surfeit
• surplusage

Adjective

• excess
• extra
• redundant
• spare
• supererogatory
• superfluous
• supernumerary

Examples of surplus in a Sentence

Noun

If there is any surplus, it will be divided equally.

There is a surplus of workers and not enough jobs.

Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Austria, known for its use of hydroelectric power, offers an ideal environment for leveraging surplus renewable energy, and a pilot project to use bitcoin mining to help with grid stability is underway between the Austrian Power Grid and 21Energy. —Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

The Van Winkle Whiskey Collection is back, and this year’s release includes an unusual surplus of 20-Year-Old and 23-Year-Old Family Reserve Bourbons. —Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 14 Dec. 2024

Adjective

The United States didn’t start providing surplus DPICM shells to Ukraine until the summer of 2023—more than a year into Russia’s wider invasion of Ukraine. —David Axe, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

In uncertain and uncomfortable economic times, White Pony Express’ services may become even more necessary as a way to match surplus food with those who need sustenance. —George Avalos, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1589, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing surplus

• budget surplus
• surplus to requirements
• surplus value
• trade surplus

Kids Definition

surplus

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs 

1

: the amount more than what is required or necessary : excess

2

: an excess of income over spending

surplus adjective

Legal Definition

surplus

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-ˌpləs 

1

a

: an amount that remains when a use or need is satisfied

b

: an excess of receipts over disbursements

c

: the value of assets after subtracting liabilities

2

: an excess of the net worth of a corporation over the par value of its capital stock compare undivided profits

— capital surplus

: all surplus other than earned surplus

— earned surplus

: the surplus that remains after deducting losses, distributions to stockholders, and transfers to capital stock accounts

— paid-in surplus

: surplus resulting from the sale of stock at amounts above par