excess

[ noun ik-ses, ek-ses; adjective verb ek-ses, ik-ses ]

noun

1. the fact of exceeding exceeding something else in amount or degree:

   His strength is in excess of yours.

2. the amount or degree by which one thing exceeds another:

   The bill showed an excess of several hundred dollars over the estimate.

3. an extreme or excessive amount or degree; superabundance:

   to have an excess of energy.

   Synonyms: surplus

   Antonyms: deficiency, lack

4. a going beyond what is regarded as customary or proper:

   to talk to excess.

5. immoderate indulgence; intemperance in eating, drinking, etc.

adjective

1. more than or above what is necessary, usual, or specified; extra:

   a charge for excess baggage; excess profits.

verb (used with object)

1. to dismiss, demote, transfer, or furlough (an employee), especially as part of a mass layoff.

excess

noun

1. the state or act of going beyond normal, sufficient, or permitted limits
2. an immoderate or abnormal amount, number, extent, or degree too much or too many

   an excess of tolerance

3. the amount, number, extent, or degree by which one thing exceeds another
4. chem a quantity of a reagent that is greater than the quantity required to complete a reaction

   add an excess of acid

5. overindulgence or intemperance
6. insurance a specified contribution towards the cost of a claim, stipulated on certain insurance policies as being payable by the policyholder
7. in excess of
   of more than; over
8. to excess
   to an inordinate extent; immoderately

   he drinks to excess

adjective

1. more than normal, necessary, or permitted; surplus

   excess weight

2. payable as a result of previous underpayment

   an excess fare for a railway journey

   excess postage

Word History and Origins

Origin of excess¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun and adjective), from Latin excessus “departure, digression,” noun use of past participle of excēdere “to go out”; exceed

Word History and Origins

Origin of excess¹

C14: from Latin excessus, from excēdere to go beyond; see exceed

Idioms and Phrases

see carry too far (to excess) ; in excess of .

Example Sentences

And if Trump is to be believed, Musk and Ramaswamy will merely “pave the way” for Trump’s administration to implement the recommendations and “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

From Slate

He estimates the value of drugs traded across the prison estate each year is in excess of £1bn.

From BBC

Donald Trump has said that Musk - and his co-head at the new Department of Government Efficiency, Vivek Ramaswamy - will achieve the savings from dismantling government bureaucracy, slashing excess regulations and restructuring government agencies.

From BBC

He said the initiative would help his administration "dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure federal agencies".

From BBC

In a statement on social media, the US president-elect said Musk - along with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy - would "dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies".

From BBC

Related Words

• exuberance
• glut
• overkill
• surplus
• waste