excess

American  

[ik-ses, ek-ses, ek-ses, ik-ses] / ɪkˈsɛs, ˈɛk sɛs, ˈɛk sɛs, ɪkˈsɛs /

noun

• excesses
  plural

1. the fact of exceeding something else in amount or degree.

   His strength is in excess of yours.

2. the amount or degree by which one thing exceeds another.

   The bill showed an excess of several hundred dollars over the estimate.

3. an extreme or excessive amount or degree; superabundance.

   to have an excess of energy.

   Synonyms:

   surplus

   Antonyms:

   deficiency, lack

4. a going beyond what is regarded as customary or proper.

   to talk to excess.

5. immoderate indulgence; intemperance in eating, drinking, etc.

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adjective

1. more than or above what is necessary, usual, or specified; extra.

   a charge for excess baggage; excess profits.

verb (used with object)

1. to dismiss, demote, transfer, or furlough (an employee), especially as part of a mass layoff.

excess British  

noun

1. the state or act of going beyond normal, sufficient, or permitted limits

2. an immoderate or abnormal amount, number, extent, or degree too much or too many

   an excess of tolerance

3. the amount, number, extent, or degree by which one thing exceeds another

4. chem a quantity of a reagent that is greater than the quantity required to complete a reaction

   add an excess of acid

5. overindulgence or intemperance

6. insurance a specified contribution towards the cost of a claim, stipulated on certain insurance policies as being payable by the policyholder

7. of more than; over

8. to an inordinate extent; immoderately

   he drinks to excess

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adjective

1. more than normal, necessary, or permitted; surplus

   excess weight

2. payable as a result of previous underpayment

   excess postage

   an excess fare for a railway journey

excess Idioms  

1. see carry too far (to excess); in excess of.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• excesses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of excess

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun and adjective), from Latin excessus “departure, digression,” noun use of past participle of excēdere “to go out”; see exceed

Explanation

Excess is too much of something, like big-time overindulgence. Eating to excess makes your stomach hurt, and spending to excess means you can't pay your credit card bills. Excess comes from the Latin word excessus meaning, "go out, going beyond the bounds of reason," like eating and spending in excess. (Not so reasonable.) Although it spends most of its time as a noun, it can also be an adjective to describe "more than is required or needed," like when excess water spills over the top of the bathtub, or those excess pounds spill over the top of your jeans.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

excess excesses

The long-term ones have real yields, meaning yields in excess of future inflation, up to about 3.3%.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Dr Xand van Tulleken tells Morning Live that the lymphatic system helps remove excess fluid from tissues and supports the immune system.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

That excess cholesterol interfered with the astrocytes' lysosomal waste-disposal system.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026

More recent carve-outs in the law also allow leaders to direct excess funds to infrastructure and local government.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

With the passage of time we may expect progressively more serious outbreaks of insects, both disease-carrying and crop-destroying species, in excess of anything we have ever known.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

In terms of both timetable overruns and cost excesses, the Fed project is no worse than most other public construction projects.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Very occasionally, one will say something anodyne—border security is important, police are necessary—that implicitly criticizes the party’s wildest excesses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

The UK media has long been criticised for being too intrusive, and moves have been made to curtail some of its worse excesses, while balancing the need for press freedoms.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

The label’s growing popularity presents a certain irony for a project founded partly as a critique of fashion’s excesses: Matières Fécales is now luxury fashion itself.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

I liked the shameless extravaganza: gold leaf and baroque excesses did not put me off.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• exuberance
• glut
• overkill
• surplus
• waste