superfluous

[soo-pur-floo-uhs] / sʊˈpɜr flu əs /

ADJECTIVE

extra, unnecessary

Synonyms

STRONGEST

excessive expendable gratuitous redundant unneeded useless

WEAK

abounding de trop dispensable excess exorbitant extravagant extreme in excess inessential inordinate lavish leftover needless nonessential overflowing overmuch pleonastic profuse remaining residuary spare superabundant supererogatory superfluent supernumerary surplus unasked uncalled-for unrequired unwanted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

reasonable useful

WEAK

important necessary needed

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Even copies of years-old news articles are marred with superfluous redactions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Once again, artificial intelligence was at the center of the selloff, amid worries that software would be made superfluous by Anthropic’s Claude applications.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

They flesh out the narrative just slightly enough not to feel entirely superfluous.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

“Everything in the cabin, whether or not it made it into the final movie, was used and touched. There was nothing superfluous, really.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025

That request seemed superfluous when I wrote it.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Vocabulary lists containing superfluous

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Grade 11, List 1

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