surge

[ surj ]

/ sɜrdʒ /

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See synonyms for: surge / surged / surging on Thesaurus.com

noun

a strong, wavelike, forward movement, rush, or sweep: the onward surge of an angry mob.

a strong, swelling, wavelike volume or body of something: a billowing surge of smoke.

a sudden, strong increase or burst: a surge of energy; surges of emotion.

Military. a significant increase in the number of troops deployed to an area.

the rolling swell of the sea.

the swelling and rolling sea: The surge crashed against the rocky coast.

a swelling wave; billow.

Meteorology.

a widespread change in atmospheric pressure that is in addition to cyclonic and normal diurnal changes.
storm surge.

Electricity.

a sudden rush or burst of current or voltage.
a violent oscillatory disturbance.

Nautical. a slackening or slipping back, as of a rope or cable.

Machinery.

an uneven flow and strong momentum given to a fluid, as water in a tank, resulting in a rapid, temporary rise in pressure.
pulsating unevenness of motion in an engine or gas turbine.

verb (used without object), surged, surg·ing.

(of a ship) to rise and fall, toss about, or move along on the waves: to surge at anchor.

to rise, roll, move, or swell forward in or like waves: The sea surged against the shore. The crowd surged back and forth.

to rise as if by a heaving or swelling force: Blood surged to his face.

Electricity.

to increase suddenly, as current or voltage.
to oscillate violently.

Nautical.

to slack off or loosen a rope or cable around a capstan or windlass.
to slip back, as a rope.

Machinery. to move with pulsating unevenness, as something driven by an engine or gas turbine.

verb (used with object), surged, surg·ing.

to cause to surge or roll in or as in waves.

Nautical. to slacken (a rope).

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Origin of surge

1480–90; perhaps <Latin surgere to spring up, arise, stand up

OTHER WORDS FROM surge

un·surg·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH surge

serge, surge

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use surge in a sentence

For now, Tenev has considerable runway to prove himself thanks to Robinhood’s fat balance sheet and a surge in stock trading.
Robinhood co-founder steps down as co-CEO, leaving Vlad Tenev as sole chief ahead of a rumored IPO|Jeff|November 20, 2020|Fortune
The spike in cases in Virginia, Maryland and the District since August has not yet been followed by a notable surge in deaths.
Maryland and Virginia nursing homes battle explosive covid-19 outbreaks — again|Rebecca Tan, Rachel Chason|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Online video-game company Roblox filed for an initial public offering, aiming to capitalize on a pandemic-fueled sales surge and the growing popularity of its platform.
Roblox files for IPO as pandemic drives video game growth|Verne Kopytoff|November 20, 2020|Fortune
When the merchandise is promoted in those ad spots, Romaine said there is a surge in sales.
Bleacher Report is drafting a commerce strategy that’s growth plan hinges on fan fervor for exclusive merchandise|Kayleigh Barber|November 19, 2020|Digiday

“We are hearing that this is a response to more people having symptoms, media and data reports on the fall surge,” Jones said in an email.
As holidays approach, wait times rise for coronavirus tests amid record spike in cases|Meagan Flynn, Michael Brice-Saddler, Julie Zauzmer, Rachel Chason|November 18, 2020|Washington Post
Hordes of celebrants, swept by rain, surged over the five-year-old Brooklyn Bridge.
128 Years Old and Still a Looker: Happy Birthday to Lady Liberty|Elizabeth Mitchell|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has surged in the past few weeks, delivering more money, supplies, and doctors.
This New Ebola Test Is As Easy As a Pregnancy Test, So Why Aren’t We Using It?|Abby Haglage|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Check the dining hall,” a young woman exclaimed, waving to her left, and a dozen persons surged in that direction.
Inside a Hospital for the Criminally Insane|Caitlin Dickson|September 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tonalist, with his fresh legs, surged past Commissioner to take the race by a nose.
Why California Chrome’s Fairy Tale Didn’t End Happily Ever After|Michael Fensom|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Independents have surged from 15 percent to over 20 percent.
The GOP’s Long, Hard Road in California|Stuart Stevens|May 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The white masked crowd surged around the group, in the midst of which stood Aristide transfigured.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Then, as the atmosphere of the room surged back, tense with vitality, her mind leapt forward in welcome.
Uncanny Tales|Various
Men surged forward to close in and blot out the glow from the killer's fingers.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Just as she did so the boat surged up again,—so close that it required but a short step to get into her.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
His passion for her surged up, aroused by pity for her plight, and awakened in him a sense of his brutality.
Mistress Wilding|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for surge

surge

/ (sɜːdʒ) /

noun

a strong rush or sweep; sudden increasea surge of anger

the rolling swell of the sea, esp after the passage of a large wave

a heavy rolling motion or soundthe surge of the trumpets

an undulating rolling surface, as of hills

a billowing cloud or volume

nautical a temporary release or slackening of a rope or cable

a large momentary increase in the voltage or current in an electric circuit

an upward instability or unevenness in the power output of an engine

astronomy a short-lived disturbance, occurring during the eruption of a solar flare

verb

(intr) (of waves, the sea, etc) to rise or roll with a heavy swelling motion

(intr) to move like a heavy sea

nautical to slacken or temporarily release (a rope or cable) from a capstan or (of a rope, etc) to be slackened or released and slip back

(intr) (of an electric current or voltage) to undergo a large momentary increase

(tr) rare to cause to move in or as if in a wave or waves

Derived forms of surge

surgeless, adjectivesurger, noun

Word Origin for surge

C15: from Latin surgere to rise, from sub- up + regere to lead

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for surge

surge

[ sûrj ]

A coastal rise in water level caused by wind.

surge

Origin of surge

OTHER WORDS FROM surge

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH surge

Words related to surge

How to use surge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for surge

Derived forms of surge

Word Origin for surge

Scientific definitions for surge