surfeit 1 of 2

surfeit

2 of 2

verb

as in to glut
to fill with food to capacity having surfeited ourselves on raw oysters, we had to decline the rest of the restaurant's offerings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word surfeit different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of surfeit are cloy, glut, gorge, pall, sate, and satiate. While all these words mean "to fill to repletion," surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

surfeited themselves with junk food

When could cloy be used to replace surfeit?

While in some cases nearly identical to surfeit, cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

In what contexts can glut take the place of surfeit?

While the synonyms glut and surfeit are close in meaning, glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

a market glutted with diet books

Where would gorge be a reasonable alternative to surfeit?

Although the words gorge and surfeit have much in common, gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

gorged themselves with chocolate

When might pall be a better fit than surfeit?

The synonyms pall and surfeit are sometimes interchangeable, but pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

How do satiate and sate relate to one another, in the sense of surfeit?

Both satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel
readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

Example Sentences

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 surfeit
Noun
Not ecstasy, not satisfaction, not a surfeit of pleasure or accomplishment. Jason Chen, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024 The 9/11 attacks changed all this, giving Washington a surfeit of purpose to go along with its preponderant power. Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2013
Verb
But surfeited with at-home entertainment options, former subscribers are preferring the flexibility of single-ticket sales. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2023 Theatergoers, surfeited with entertainment options at home, have been less inclined to commit to season subscriptions, placing more pressure on programming to come up with sure-fire hits. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2023 See all Example Sentences for surfeit 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surfeit
Noun
  • Here is the reality of the Hogan surplus and the handoff to the Moore administration: Hogan left Moore $2.5 billion in the rainy day fund.
    Kevin Igoe, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Los Angeles would have to clear a 40-man spot for Yates, which means the Dodgers could look to move from that relief surplus.
    Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • As Israel gluts the present with death and destruction, the future perfect has become a means of stirring timid Americans out of indifference and into something like sympathy for Palestinian lives.
    Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
  • There are small evolutions of technology and cultural attitudes, but in a TV landscape glutted by dystopias, having any optimism about life 30-ish years in the future borders on revolutionary.
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
  • The Magnificent Seven companies reporting in the week ahead could unlock the next leg of the rally, as investors bet that earnings growth fueled by artificial intelligence could power a market some worry has gone to excess.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The timing makes sense: After a holiday season filled with cocktail parties and not-so-healthy meals, the idea of cleansing the body of excess seems attractive.
    Vicky Vera, Glamour, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Failure to do so is akin to gorging oneself at a restaurant, then dashing out the door saying your credit card is maxed out.
    Scott Horsley, NPR, 20 Dec. 2024
  • Two months after the Uni gorged themselves on Udon noodles every day, the edible part of Uni grew from 4.8% to 17.5% on average, far above the marketable percentage of 10%.
    Akiko Katayama, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Someone had put Pace’s body in three garbage bags before stuffing her in the suitcase in the fetal position, with her ankles shackled to her wrist and arm, Wamp described.
    Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Trees must be wrapped in burlap to catch larvae, which are then supposed to be drowned in soapy water or stuffed in the freezer — but the real solution is to simply wait for natural controls, like E. maimaiga, to fight them off, Dwyer explained.
    Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Publishers expect readers to be sated by the rush of book buying associated with the holidays.
    John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2025
  • While all Sandals properties serve up Blue Mountain coffee exclusively, the resort’s Café de Paris concept used to be the main place to sate you caffeine cravings.
    Sofia Perez, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Surfeit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surfeit. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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