What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
overplus
Example
The garden produced an overplus of tomatoes this year. [overplus: noun]
Example
The company had an overplus of inventory that they couldn't sell. [overplus: adjective]
surplus
Example
The store had a surplus of winter coats on sale. [surplus: noun]
Example
The budget had a surplus of funds that could be allocated to other projects. [surplus: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Surplus is more commonly used than overplus in everyday language. Surplus is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while overplus is less common and more literary.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between overplus and surplus?
Surplus is more commonly used in formal contexts, such as economics or finance, while overplus is more informal or literary. Therefore, surplus is generally considered more formal than overplus.
