surplus

American  

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

noun

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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Related Words

See remainder.

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; super-, plus

Example Sentences

Traders will be watching out for signs that supply may outstrip demand in 2026 and create a surplus.

From Barron's

In previous years, France has subsidised the distilling of some of its surplus wine into ethanol alcohol, which can then be used for industrial purposes.

From Barron's

Analysts say policymakers are worried that the yuan’s appreciation could hurt Chinese exporters’ global competitiveness that helped the country’s trade surplus cross the $1 trillion threshold last year despite heightened trade frictions with the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

The trade surplus with the United States was 52.2 billion euros, its lowest level since 2021, after a record surplus the previous year of nearly 70 billion euros.

From Barron's

This view is partly supported by China’s export resilience, with the trade surplus expected to reach a record US$1.4 trillion this year, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• excess
• leftover
• unused