surplus
something that remains above what is used or needed.
an amount, quantity, etc., greater than needed.
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.
Accounting.
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.
an amount of assets in excess of what is requisite to meet liabilities.
being a surplus; being in excess of what is required: surplus wheat.
Origin of surplus
1synonym study For surplus
Other words for surplus
Words that may be confused with surplus
- surplice, surplus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use surplus in a sentence
In a world where stress is in surplus, the last thing you need is your phone, tablet, or laptop dying on you.
San Diego lawmakers were forced to drop some of their signature priorities while the state’s massive budget surplus evaporated.
Morning Report: The State’s Top Cop on the State of Policing | Voice of San Diego | October 5, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoWe also only use fabrics that pass quality and durability tests with the highest ratings, and when possible, try to use surplus material that we purchase from local NYC brands that otherwise would go to waste.
The new workwear attire brand that launched when everyone is working from home | Rachel King | October 4, 2020 | FortuneThe players that earn those surpluses can trade their credits for cash to slow-to-go-green, over-the-limit manufacturers that need them to offset their deficits and achieve compliance.
Tesla’s biggest profit center is dangerously close to running out of power | Shawn Tully | September 30, 2020 | FortuneRealtors across the country are seeing a surplus in clients and a decrease in available homes.
Is fall the new spring for real estate in 2020? | Khalil Alexander El-Ghoul | September 19, 2020 | Washington Blade
British Dictionary definitions for surplus
/ (ˈsɜːpləs) /
a quantity or amount in excess of what is required
accounting
an excess of total assets over total liabilities
an excess of actual net assets over the nominal value of capital stock
an excess of revenues over expenditures during a certain period of time
economics
an excess of government revenues over expenditures during a certain financial year
an excess of receipts over payments on the balance of payments
being in excess; extra
Origin of surplus
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for surplus
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.)
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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