surplus
/ˈsɜːpləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɜːrplʌs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs/ (ame, mw)
surplus — noun
- surplussingular
- surplusesplural
1. something that remains unused when people have taken or used what they need
something that remains unused when people have taken or used what they need
Devika donated her farm's grain surplus to local food banks after the harvest.
collocation: grain surplus
The bakery had a surplus of bread at closing time, so the owner let staff take loaves home.
pattern: a surplus of [something]
Because of a surplus of winter coats, the charity sent boxes to shelters in three cities.
The school library offered its surplus textbooks to students for free.
An unexpected surplus of eggs meant the family could sell them at the weekly market.
- excess
more general; 'excess' often suggests a negative or unwanted amount, while 'surplus' is more neutral or positive
- extra
informal; used for things added to a normal or expected amount, without the idea of a large quantity
- oversupply
focuses on market or economic situations where more is available than people want to buy
文法句型
a surplus of [something]
surplus + noun (attributive)
用法筆記
Can be countable ('a surplus of oil') or uncountable ('food surplus'). The countable form with 'a … of …' is the most common pattern in everyday English.
常見錯誤
2. money that is left over after all expenses have been paid, earned when income ex
money that is left over after all expenses have been paid, earned when income exceeds spending
The government announced a budget surplus of five billion dollars this year.
collocation: budget surplus
After paying all her bills, Sari had a small surplus in her checking account.
The company reported a surplus for the third quarter, thanks to higher sales.
A trade surplus happens when a country sells more goods abroad than it buys.
The city used its budget surplus to repair roads and build a new park.
文法句型
budget / trade / cash surplus
a surplus of [amount of money]
用法筆記
Usually singular and countable. Common in news reports about government budgets, company earnings, and international trade. The opposite term is 'deficit'.
常見錯誤
surplus — adjective
- surpluspositive
- more surpluscomparative
- most surplussuperlative
1. describes items or materials that are currently unused because the amount availa
describes items or materials that are currently unused because the amount available goes beyond what people can use or sell
The army sold its surplus equipment to local police departments.
attributive: surplus + equipment
Surplus food from the wedding was packed into boxes for the guests to take home.
attributive: surplus + food
The store offered a discount on surplus stock at the end of the season.
After the merger, the company had several surplus offices that it tried to rent out.
Sivan's school collected surplus furniture from local businesses for classrooms that needed desks and chairs.
- extra
informal and more common in everyday speech; can be used both before and after the noun ('an extra shirt', 'something extra')
- leftover
less formal and typically used for food or small physical items that remain after use
- redundant
British English; describes items or roles that are no longer needed, often in workplace contexts
- insufficient
not enough for a particular purpose
- scarce
difficult to find or obtain because there is not enough available
文法句型
surplus + noun
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). 'Surplus' in this role describes physical items such as equipment, food, stock, or furniture, not abstract ideas.