1
: the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves
surfed; surfing; surfs
1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest
: to scan the offerings of (such as television or the Internet) for something of interest
surfer
noun
Examples of surf in a Sentence
Noun
We could hear the roar of the surf.
beachgoers romping in the swirling surf
Verb
He learned to surf when he was living in California.
Recent Examples on the Web
Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
Disney’s live-action charmer Lilo & Stitch has surfed past $800M at the global box office.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surf
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Noun
Its beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and Block Island Sound are more rugged, and visitors are more likely to find surf shops than posh boutiques.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
Verb
So much was still new then: rock and roll, surfing as a national hobby, the very concept of teenagedom as a discrete and special time in life.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
Disney’s live-action charmer Lilo & Stitch has surfed past $800M at the global box office.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surf
Cite this Entry
“Surf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surf. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surf
1 of 2 noun1
: waves that break upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves
surf
2 of 2 verb1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something of interest
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