surfeit

American  

[sur-fit] / ˈsɜr fɪt /

noun

1. excess; an excessive amount.

   a surfeit of speechmaking.

   Synonyms:

   superfluity, superabundance

   Antonyms:

   lack

2. excess or overindulgence in eating or drinking.

3. an uncomfortably full or crapulous feeling due to excessive eating or drinking.

4. general disgust caused by excess or satiety.

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verb (used with object)

surfeits, present (3rd person singular) surfeited, past participle, past surfeiting present participle

1. to bring to a state of surfeit by excess of food or drink.

   Synonyms:

   gorge, stuff

2. to supply with anything to excess or satiety; satiate.

   Synonyms:

   fill, gorge, stuff

verb (used without object)

surfeits, present (3rd person singular) surfeited, past participle, past surfeiting present participle

1. to eat or drink to excess.

2. to suffer from the effects of overindulgence in eating or drinking.

3. to indulge to excess in anything.

surfeit British  

/ ˈsɜːfɪt /

noun

1. (usually foll by of) an excessive or immoderate amount

2. overindulgence, esp in eating or drinking

3. disgust, nausea, etc, caused by such overindulgence

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verb

1. (tr) to supply or feed excessively; satiate

2. archaic (intr) to eat, drink, or be supplied to excess

3. obsolete (intr) to feel uncomfortable as a consequence of overindulgence

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unsurfeiting
  adjective
• unsurfeited
  adjective
• surfeiter
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have surfeited
  perfect
• has surfeited
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have been surfeiting
  perfect progressive
• has been surfeiting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is surfeiting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• surfeits
  singular 3rd person
• are surfeiting
  progressive
• am surfeiting
  progressive 1st person singular
• surfeiting
  participle

Past

• had surfeited
  perfect
• had been surfeiting
  perfect progressive
• was surfeiting
  progressive singular
• surfeited
  participle
• were surfeiting
  progressive plural
• surfeited
  simple

Future

• will surfeit
  simple
• will have surfeited
  perfect
• will have been surfeiting
  perfect progressive
• will be surfeiting
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of surfeit

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English sorfete, surfait < Middle French surfait, surfet (noun use of past participle of surfaire to overdo), equivalent to sur- sur- ¹ + fait < Latin factus, past participle of facere to do ( see fact); (v.) sorfeten, derivative of the noun

Explanation

Steve baked a surfeit of jam tarts. Steve ate a surfeit of jam tarts. Steve surfeited himself on jam tarts. Whether surfeit is a noun or a verb (as in "overabundance" or "gorge"), Steve is likely to end up with a bellyache. Overabundance, glut, gorge, and cloy: These are all synonyms for surfeit, and they all convey a sense of too-much-ness, as does the Old French root of the word — surfaire, "to overdo." When it is used in reference to food or eating, surfeit tends to suggest indulging to the point of sickness or disgust. In other contexts, though, the meaning is not necessarily negative: "A surfeit of kindness," for example, would hardly be a bad thing.

Example Sentences

Thoughts on love, nature, trauma, aging, nostalgia and philosophy are all valid starting points, and a surfeit of possibilities can be paralyzing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

There's not exactly a surfeit of available and convincing candidates and Clarke is a proven operator who has become a serial qualifier for major tournaments.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

But this spring holds a surfeit of Scripture-inspired scripted alternatives.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

“What happened to the peace dividend?” economist Augusto Lopez-Claros asked last year, referring to the supposed surfeit of funds that was to flow after the end of the Cold War.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

A smooth barkless tree, blackened by a surfeit of green water.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• glut
• plethora
• profusion