What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
overprovision
Example
The company tends to overprovision their inventory to ensure they have enough stock. [overprovision: verb]
Example
The overprovision of food led to a lot of waste at the event. [overprovision: noun]
surplus
Example
The company had a surplus of products due to decreased demand. [surplus: noun]
Example
The surplus of food was donated to a local charity. [surplus: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Surplus is more commonly used than overprovision in everyday language. Surplus is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while overprovision is less common and often used in specific industries or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between overprovision and surplus?
Both overprovision and surplus are formal words that are typically used in professional or technical contexts. However, overprovision may be considered more technical and specialized than surplus.