Meaning & use
surplus
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
The amount that remains when you have used or needed all you require.
Grammar: Often followed by of: a surplus of grain; also countable, as in budget surpluses.
Patterns
- a surplus of something
- surplus to requirements
The farm sold its surplus of apples at the market.
A bumper harvest left a large surplus of wheat.
The shop is clearing its surplus before the new season.
nouncountablefinancebusiness
The sum by which a government or business earns more money than it spends.
Grammar: Used in economics: a budget surplus is the opposite of a deficit.
Patterns
- run a surplus
- a trade surplus
The city ran a budget surplus for the first time in years.
China has a large trade surplus with many countries.
Next year's surplus will pay down the debt.
adjectivebefore a noun
More than is needed or can be used.
Grammar: Goes before a noun: surplus food, surplus stock.
Patterns
- surplus to requirements
Surplus food from the cafeteria goes to a local shelter.
The army sold its surplus equipment.
Any surplus cash is put into savings.
Word forms
| plural | surpluses |
|---|
Common combinations
- budget surplus
- The budget surplus allowed taxes to be cut.
- trade surplus
- The country enjoys a healthy trade surplus.
- surplus food
- Supermarkets donate surplus food to charities.
- surplus to requirements
- The extra chairs were surplus to requirements.
- run a surplus
- The fund ran a surplus every year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- excess
- Excess often suggests too much of something, with a negative feel, while surplus is more neutral and can be good news.
- glut
- A glut is a harmful oversupply that pushes prices down, whereas a surplus can be small and useful.
- remainder
- Remainder is whatever is left over of anything, but a surplus is specifically more than was needed.
- leftover
- Leftover is informal and used mostly for food, while surplus fits goods, money, and budgets.
Opposites
Word family
- surplusage noun
- an excess, especially unnecessary words
- surplus adjective
- extra, more than needed
Commonly confused: surplus or surplice?
surplus vs surplice
A surplice is a loose white garment worn by clergy and choir members. It sounds like surplus but is a completely different word.
Practice
After paying all its bills, the charity had a small ___ that it could carry over to next year.
Choose one answer.
A surplus is money left over after all needs are met. Deficit, shortage, and debt all mean there was too little money.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “surplus”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.