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

Finally, the strategists said investors have by now probably reduced their excess positioning in crowded stocks like popular semiconductor stocks, which should help that group stabilize.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

Record-breaking heatwaves in May and June led to an estimated 2,877 excess deaths in England, the UK Health Security Agency said last week.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

"While thrice-weekly interval training remains a commonly recommended approach for the therapeutic management of excess adiposity, our findings show that once-weekly interval training offers similar benefits and represents a practical exercise strategy," said Professor Siu.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

“Technically, that can be an excess benefit transaction on its own,” Hackney said, referring to the IRS category that triggers taxes on compensation paid to nonprofit insiders above fair market value.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

Slant, lain back down beside him, was in an excess of horror, but I was not at liberty to remain longer, and so, with anxious blessings, I made my exit.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

In many ways, China’s vernacular taste in automotive design codified the excesses of the West and doubled down upon them, propelled by the status-signaling anxieties of rising Chinese affluence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

They appear to eschew the excesses of footballers' lives, explaining a typical night in during an interview with Norwegian channel NRK.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Plus, China has been encouraging investment in its stock market rather than real estate, which is still reeling from speculative excesses and Beijing’s crackdown.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

That being said, there is “work still ahead” in resolving the problems and excesses of plea bargains, as Gorsuch said.

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026

Chacko had been a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and was permitted excesses and eccentricities nobody else was.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• exuberance
• glut
• overkill
• surplus
• waste