1
a
: the state or an instance of surpassing usual, proper, or specified limits : superfluity
b
: the amount or degree by which one thing or quantity exceeds another
an excess of 10 bushels
2
: undue or immoderate indulgence : intemperance
also
: an act or instance of intemperance
prevent excesses and abuses by newly created local powers —
Albert Shanker
Albert Shanker
: more than the usual, proper, or specified amount
excessed; excessing; excesses
: to eliminate the position of
excessed several teachers because of budget cutbacks
Synonyms
Examples of excess in a Sentence
Noun
They were equipped with an excess of provisions.
The tests found an excess of sodium in his blood.
He lived a life of excess.
The movie embraces all the worst excesses of popular American culture.
the violent excesses of the military regime
He apologized for his past excesses.
Adjective
Basketball provided an outlet for their excess energy.
She is trying to eliminate excess fat and calories from her diet.
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Recent Examples on the WebTorie Cox, Country Living, 8 Sep. 2023
But there was purpose, control and meaning behind that director’s taste for extravagant excess.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2023
The dye is left on for a few minutes to attain optimal color, then any excess is removed with a damp paper towel.
—Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 Sep. 2023
And the old air of coffeehouse intimacy has, for big acts, been oddly abandoned, replaced by a new kind of excess geared to the constraints of the format.
—Adlan Jackson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2023
If there aren’t, a farmer would rather give you their excess instead of dumping and getting rid of it.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
The topic feels timely, especially at a time when the publishing industry is in the midst of cashing in on the latest downturn with a spate of titles that ridicule the gross folly and excesses of the 2021 bubble.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 21 Aug. 2023
Valdés said the positive side was an eventual series of U.S. investigations into excesses by the CIA and other intelligence organizations, and the emergence of human rights activism that pushed abuses into the spotlight and to the center of some U.S. policies.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
Now inside, Gaines holds up a slab of honeycomb and runs a blade through the structure removing any of the excess.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 28 Aug. 2023
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023
With the slowdown in office leasing and rising vacancies in many buildings, owners and investors are scrambling to find new uses for excess space.
—Steve Brown, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Idaho lawsuit lead plaintiff Jennifer Adkins, a 31-year-old mother from Idaho, was at a routine 12-week ultrasound when the scan revealed the fetus had excess fluid and skin edema -- signs of cystic hygroma.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 12 Sep. 2023
Central Paris is typically two or three degrees Celsius (three to five degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than its suburbs, and that difference can stretch to 10 degrees during extreme heat waves as buildings trap the excess heat.
—Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2023
Central Paris is typically 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than its suburbs, and that difference can stretch to 10 degrees during extreme heat waves as buildings trap the excess heat.
—Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
In essence, Accutane works by reducing excess sebum, a thick, oily substance naturally produced by your skin’s sebaceous glands (found underneath your hair follicles).
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 8 Sep. 2023
Other experts suggest that excess weight and genetic factors could be involved in the change.
—Heather Hunter, Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2023
Patients with a significant amount of excess skin in addition to the diastasis may need a full tummy tuck, in which the muscle is tightened, extra skin is removed, and the belly button is relocated to a new position within the abdominal skin.
—Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 6 Sep. 2023
Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
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
You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
Meacham is a nonideological historian and McGraw is a country star, two professions that were built for caution, something McGraw occasionally takes to excess.
—Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, 11 July 2019
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Noun
Trim excess to 1 inch, fold edges under, and crimp.
—Torie Cox, Country Living, 8 Sep. 2023
But there was purpose, control and meaning behind that director’s taste for extravagant excess.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2023
The dye is left on for a few minutes to attain optimal color, then any excess is removed with a damp paper towel.
—Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 Sep. 2023
And the old air of coffeehouse intimacy has, for big acts, been oddly abandoned, replaced by a new kind of excess geared to the constraints of the format.
—Adlan Jackson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2023
If there aren’t, a farmer would rather give you their excess instead of dumping and getting rid of it.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
The topic feels timely, especially at a time when the publishing industry is in the midst of cashing in on the latest downturn with a spate of titles that ridicule the gross folly and excesses of the 2021 bubble.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 21 Aug. 2023
Valdés said the positive side was an eventual series of U.S. investigations into excesses by the CIA and other intelligence organizations, and the emergence of human rights activism that pushed abuses into the spotlight and to the center of some U.S. policies.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
Now inside, Gaines holds up a slab of honeycomb and runs a blade through the structure removing any of the excess.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 28 Aug. 2023
Adjective
The resulting policy, which goes into effect immediately, requires all departments with excess firearms to drop off the guns at an Anaheim recycling center, which has contracted with the county to destroy surplus firearms.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023
With the slowdown in office leasing and rising vacancies in many buildings, owners and investors are scrambling to find new uses for excess space.
—Steve Brown, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Idaho lawsuit lead plaintiff Jennifer Adkins, a 31-year-old mother from Idaho, was at a routine 12-week ultrasound when the scan revealed the fetus had excess fluid and skin edema -- signs of cystic hygroma.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 12 Sep. 2023
Central Paris is typically two or three degrees Celsius (three to five degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than its suburbs, and that difference can stretch to 10 degrees during extreme heat waves as buildings trap the excess heat.
—Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2023
Central Paris is typically 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than its suburbs, and that difference can stretch to 10 degrees during extreme heat waves as buildings trap the excess heat.
—Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
In essence, Accutane works by reducing excess sebum, a thick, oily substance naturally produced by your skin’s sebaceous glands (found underneath your hair follicles).
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 8 Sep. 2023
Other experts suggest that excess weight and genetic factors could be involved in the change.
—Heather Hunter, Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2023
Patients with a significant amount of excess skin in addition to the diastasis may need a full tummy tuck, in which the muscle is tightened, extra skin is removed, and the belly button is relocated to a new position within the abdominal skin.
—Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 6 Sep. 2023
Verb
Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
—Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
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
You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
Meacham is a nonideological historian and McGraw is a country star, two professions that were built for caution, something McGraw occasionally takes to excess.
—Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, 11 July 2019
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'excess.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French exces, from Late Latin excessus, from Latin, departure, projection, from excedere to exceed
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1971, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of excess was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing excess
Articles Related to excess
Dictionary Entries Near excess
Cite this Entry
“Excess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excess. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
excess
2 of 2 adjective
: more than what is usual, acceptable, or needed
excess baggage
an outlet for their excess energy
Legal Definition
excess
adjective
ex·cess
: more than a usual or specified amount
specifically
: additional to an amount specified under another insurance policy
excess coverage
excess insurance
More from Merriam-Webster on excess
Nglish: Translation of excess for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of excess for Arabic Speakers
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