surf
Americannoun
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the swell of the sea that breaks upon a shore or upon shoals.
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the mass or line of foamy water caused by the breaking of the sea upon a shore, especially a shallow or sloping shore.
verb (used without object)
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surfs,
present (3rd person singular)
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surfed,
past participle, past
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surfing
present participle
-
to ride a surfboard.
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to float on the crest of a wave toward shore.
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to swim, play, or bathe in the surf.
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to search haphazardly, as for information on a computer network or an interesting program on television.
verb (used with object)
-
surfs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
surfed,
past participle, past
-
surfing
present participle
-
to ride a surfboard on.
We surfed every big wave in sight.
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to search through (a computer network or TV channels) for information or entertainment.
noun
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waves breaking on the shore or on a reef
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foam caused by the breaking of waves
verb
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(intr) to take part in surfing
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computing (on the internet) to move freely from website to website (esp in the phrase surf the net )
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to move freely between (TV channels or radio stations)
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-
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informal to be carried on top of something
that guy's surfing the audience
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( in combination )
trainsurfing
-
Synonym Usage
See wave.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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surfsimple
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surfssimple
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have surfedperfect
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has surfedperfect
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am surfingprogressive
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are surfingprogressive
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is surfingprogressive
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have been surfingperfect progressive
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has been surfingperfect progressive
Past
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surfedsimple
-
had surfedperfect
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was surfingprogressive
-
were surfingprogressive
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had been surfingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of surf
First recorded in 1600–10; earlier suff; of uncertain origin
Explanation
The surf is what you see when you stand on the beach and look at the ocean — waves rising and breaking on the shore. It’s also what you do when you ride those waves. Surf’s up, dude! Surf means "crashing waves," but it's also a verb meaning to ride those waves with a surf board. When you surf, you stand upright on a board and ride over breaking waves into the shore. A more figurative meaning of surf is "search casually," as in "channel surf," or click idly between TV stations. The origin of the word is a mystery, though it's thought to have first been used in reference to the Indian coast.
Vocabulary lists containing surf
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Even the brief imitation of Lennon’s “losing control” scream is laser-precise, meant to boost the song’s momentum and carry it through a cheery and lazy surf solo.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
“We also have high tides going on at the same time as the higher surf, so that’s when we start to see more of those coastal flooding impacts, beach erosion.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Residents have also been warned of large ocean swells and life-threatening surf conditions for the next few days.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Southern California’s most dangerous surf spot, the Wedge, has become even sketchier in recent months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Relief washed over me like a gentle surf.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
John van Rooyen regularly surfs and spear fishes at the Tinley Manor beach, about 2 miles from where he lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
He mentions being tired often for a 41-year-old who makes sure he goes on a bike ride, plays tennis, surfs, swims or hikes every day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2024
Efrus, a 4-year-old Jack Russell terrier, surfs the waves in the Pacific waters off Peru.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 25, 2024
He grew up surfing at Makaha and now surfs all over the world, and has trained at the Slater wave pool and a Texas one.
From Washington Times ● May 29, 2023
She surfs waves as big as houses and jumps off anything.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
Suvorova writes about girls in school accusing her mother of being a gold digger, intentionally choosing rich boyfriends that would eventually become rich husbands while they lived in poverty and couch surfed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Koh said he surfed the web when the others slept.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026
It is also in this house where Bryn famously "surfed the world wide web" to give Gavin directions from Barry to Essex in the first series.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026
The goal survived a VAR check for a potential foul on Martinez and Arsenal surfed the wave of momentum to double their lead four minutes later.
From Barron's ● Dec. 30, 2025
A writhing body surfed along the top of the throng up ahead.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
"There are sharks in the ocean and we're still surfing... it's a can do, not a can't do - please change the mindset here," he said at the time.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
At age 14, Glen Walsh started surfing because of a crush.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
When done correctly, he argues, surfing can invite expansiveness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
While Washburn does tour with a small band, whenever possible, he is by himself, off the grid, out surfing, camping or embarking on whimsical construction projects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Their sides were so steep the lifeboat started sliding down them, nearly surfing.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
