as in extra
being over what is needed
any excess food from the party will be donated to a shelter for the homeless
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed
a new television season with an excess of sitcoms featuring wisecracking teenagers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessiveness
a propensity for extremes in one's actions, beliefs, or habits
the wretched excess that is so often found in the world of show business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to lay off
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of excess
Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 3 Feb. 2026
In 1996, Tucker’s sister Callie Marshall was born with Alström syndrome, which causes, among other things, the loss of sight and hearing, heart and lung disease, diabetes, the accumulation of excess fat around the abdomen during childhood and stunted growth leading to shorter stature in adulthood.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Foreign observers, Liu argues, tend to portray Chinese people as either the enablers or the victims of their government’s excesses.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 17 July 2023
That suggests existing protections won’t have much force until the state extends its new worker-misclassification law (which cracks down on employers who rely to excess on gig workers) to temporary employees.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2021
See All Example Sentences for excess
Adjective
Here, Disney Petit, founder and CEO of excess inventory solution LiquiDonate, shares how to get more value out of returns and why sustainability can actually create cost savings.
—Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 3 Feb. 2026
In 1996, Tucker’s sister Callie Marshall was born with Alström syndrome, which causes, among other things, the loss of sight and hearing, heart and lung disease, diabetes, the accumulation of excess fat around the abdomen during childhood and stunted growth leading to shorter stature in adulthood.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
And yet, this is what a generation of moviegoers thrilled by the stylistic excess of A24 and Neon movies want from the big-screen experience.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Foreign observers, Liu argues, tend to portray Chinese people as either the enablers or the victims of their government’s excesses.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
Over the past few months, my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
—Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 17 July 2023
That suggests existing protections won’t have much force until the state extends its new worker-misclassification law (which cracks down on employers who rely to excess on gig workers) to temporary employees.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2021
See All Example Sentences for excess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excess
Adjective
-
For an extra crispy top, turn oven to broil, sprinkle casserole with a little grated Parmesan and broil 5 inches from heat until casserole is bubbling and golden, about 1 minute.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Arrivals and departures are weather dependent so cushion your flight home with an extra day or two.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Trade deficits and foreign investment surplus show voluntary market transactions from which each party expects to benefit, or the transactions would not occur.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This spike, a bit higher than Swanson expected, is the result of a global surplus fading and import levels returning to normal.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But what Flanagan’s campaign promotions about her board experience omit are the votes to slash budgets, lay off teachers, and close entire schools as the district struggled with declining enrollments, as well as costly scandals and a new headquarters that ballooned in cost to more than $40 million.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Jan. 2026
-
They are forced to take out high-interest loans, drain reserves, lay off staff or cut services, all while continuing to perform work they are contracted to deliver.—
Kristin Brown,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Early motorists often carried tools and spare parts, expecting breakdowns as part of the journey.—
Bill Gourgey,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
-
With stocks of spare parts running low domestically, Orest said that former Eastern Bloc countries, such as the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, were the most obvious places to turn for help.—
Michael Holtz,
New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Maye was sacked 21 times in the playoffs — the most ever for a QB in a single postseason.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
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With the fate of Palace’s previous two managers effectively sealed after defeats here, a loss would have seen Glasner eclipse Patrick Vieira’s 12-game winless run, a sequence which led to the Frenchman being sacked following this fixture three years ago.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hachimura helped the Lakers stay the course after their lead was trimmed to two points with 27 seconds left.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Officials say the goats will practically climb over each other to reach them, turning bush-trimming into a competitive sport.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Petrecca was thrust into the commentary role, replacing Auro Bulbarelli, who removed himself after spoiling the surprise arrival of Mattarella aboard one of the city’s trams.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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According to him, real-world deployment is a key step to removing the practical and technological bottlenecks that humanoids face today.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Saks Global, owner of luxury brand Saks Fifth Avenue and discount division Saks Off 5th, is downsizing following its recent bankruptcy filing.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The once-robust plan to build 158,000 square feet of commercial space, including 77,000 square feet of office space, has been downsized.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excess. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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