surf

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of surfnext
1
: the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2

verb

surfed; surfing; surfs

intransitive verb

1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest

transitive verb

: to scan the offerings of (such as television or the Internet) for something of interest
surfer noun

Synonyms of surf

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
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Noun
Travelers looking to break up a day of surf and sand will be pleasantly surprised to learn the island has plenty to see and do away from the shore. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025 Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous surf and NEVER turn your back on the ocean. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Dec. 2025
Verb
Except from Hufanga, a man carefree enough to take offseason surfing trips with his former high school algebra teacher. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Dec. 2025 In the meantime, Marino has zeroed in on a temporary space in Rue Bonaparte to surf the growing wave of interest the French market is showing toward Maison Jejia. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for surf

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surf was in 1685

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Cite this Entry

“Surf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surf. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

surf

1 of 2 noun
1
: waves that break upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2 verb
1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something of interest

More from Merriam-Webster on surf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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