surplus

American  

[sur-pluhs, -pluhs] / ˈsɜr plʌs, -pləs /

noun

surpluses plural

1. something that remains above what is used or needed.

   Synonyms:

   superabundance

2. an amount, quantity, etc., greater than needed.

3. agricultural produce or a quantity of food grown by a nation or area in excess of its needs, especially such a quantity of food purchased and stored by a governmental program of guaranteeing farmers a specific price for certain crops.

4. Accounting.

   1. the excess of assets over liabilities accumulated throughout the existence of a business, excepting assets against which stock certificates have been issued; excess of net worth over capital-stock value.

   2. an amount of assets in excess of what is requisite to meet liabilities.

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adjective

1. being a surplus; being in excess of what is required.

   surplus wheat.

verb (used with object)

surplussed, surplused, surplussing, surplusing

1. to treat as surplus; sell off; retire.

   The government surplussed some of its desert lands.

surplus British  

/ ˈsɜːpləs /

noun

1. a quantity or amount in excess of what is required

2. accounting

   1. an excess of total assets over total liabilities

   2. an excess of actual net assets over the nominal value of capital stock

   3. an excess of revenues over expenditures during a certain period of time

3. economics

   1. an excess of government revenues over expenditures during a certain financial year

   2. an excess of receipts over payments on the balance of payments

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adjective

1. being in excess; extra

surplus Cultural  

1. An unsold quantity of a good resulting from a lack of equilibrium in a market. For example, if a price is artificially high, sellers will bring more goods to the market than buyers will be willing to buy. (Compare shortage.)

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Synonym Usage

See remainder.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• surpluses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of surplus

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French surplus, s(o)urplus, from Medieval Latin superplūs, equivalent to super- preposition and prefix + plūs neuter noun; see origin at super-, plus

Explanation

A surplus is something extra or left over. If your tree produces more apples than you can eat, you can make applesauce with the surplus of apples. The army surplus store sells old or out-of-date clothing and equipment that the military doesn't need. If you earn more money than you spend, then you have a surplus of cash. The word surplus has familiar parts: sur- is a shortened form of super, meaning "extra" or "additional," and plus just means "more."

Example Sentences

The state eventually put the hill on a list of surplus properties and in 2023 conveyed it to Juneau, which wanted it for housing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

Electric vehicles, when not in use, often have surplus energy stored in their batteries.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

So nicely that the 1994 World Cup remains the most successful in history, averaging crowds of 68,991 a match and earning a $50-million surplus for the host committee.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

He also said he was not overly concerned about Indonesia's narrowing trade surplus, which tanked to $89 million in April from $3.3 billion the month before.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

“They were practically giving them away at a military surplus auction. I mean, for twenty-five bucks how could I not buy it?”

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos

Related Words

• excess
• leftover
• unused