Surplus: meaning, definitions and examples

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surplus

[ˈsɜːpləs ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

economic

An amount of something left over when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply over demand.

Synonyms

excess, extra, surfeit.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
surplus	When there is more of something than what is needed or used, often in economic or business contexts. The company had a surplus of goods after the holiday season The government plans to use the budget surplus to improve infrastructure
excess	Usually describes something that is more than what is usual, necessary, or proper, and often has a negative connotation. Eating in excess can lead to health problems The factory produced an excess of emissions, which caused environmental concerns
extra	Refers to an additional amount of something beyond what is expected or required, often in everyday situations. I brought some extra snacks for the trip Can you give me an extra copy of the report?
surfeit	Describes an excessive amount of something, typically used in a more formal or literary context and often implies a negative effect. He had a surfeit of rich foods during the holidays, which made him feel unwell The novel's surfeit of subplots made it difficult to follow the main story

Examples of usage

The surplus of wheat caused prices to drop significantly.
The company had to sell off its surplus inventory at a discount.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

military

Excess of a country's income over its expenditure.

Synonyms

excess, extra, overage.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
surplus	Used to describe an amount that is more than what is needed, often in a formal or business setting. The company announced a surplus in their yearly budget. We have a surplus of office supplies.
excess	Often used when referring to an amount that goes beyond what is necessary, sometimes implying waste or overindulgence. He was fined for driving with excess speed. The excess consumption of sugar can lead to health problems.
extra	Used to describe something additional or more than what is usual or required. Commonly used in everyday conversations. Do you have any extra pens? We ordered extra food just in case.
overage	Typically used in commercial or billing contexts to describe an amount that exceeds a predetermined limit. You will be charged for any overage on your mobile data plan. We experienced an overage in our inventory after the audit.

Examples of usage

The budget surplus allowed the government to invest more in education and healthcare.
The surplus in military spending raised concerns about the country's priorities.

Translations

Translations of the word "surplus" in other languages:

🇵🇹 excedente

🇮🇳 अधिशेष

🇩🇪 Überschuss

🇮🇩 kelebihan

🇺🇦 надлишок

🇵🇱 nadwyżka

🇯🇵 余剰 (よじょう)

🇫🇷 excédent

🇪🇸 excedente

🇹🇷 fazlalık

🇰🇷 잉여 (잉여)

🇸🇦 فائض

🇨🇿 přebytek

🇸🇰 prebytok

🇨🇳 剩余 (shèngyú)

🇸🇮 presežek

🇮🇸 afgangur

🇰🇿 артықшылық

🇬🇪 ნამატი

🇦🇿 artıqlıq

🇲🇽 excedente

Etymology

The word 'surplus' originated from the Latin word 'superplus', which means 'left over'. It entered the English language in the 14th century. The concept of surplus has been relevant in various fields such as economics, military, and agriculture. Surplus can indicate an excess or abundance of something beyond what is needed or expected.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,718, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.

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2715 grace
2716 transactions
2717 admission
2718 surplus
2719 worthy
2720 pension
2721 trend
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