Meaning & use
surplus
An amount of something left over after requirements have been met; more than is needed.
See it in a sentence
The farm produced a surplus of corn that year, so extra bushels were sold at market.
The government reported a budget surplus for the first time in a decade.
A note on using this word
Surplus is often used with government or business finances, while excess is more general and can sound negative, as in 'excess weight.'
Words with a similar meaning
excessoverflow
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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