"excess" means: The state of surpassing or going beyond a limit; the state of being beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; more than what is usual or prope.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
excess
The state of surpassing or going beyond a limit; the state of being beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; more than what is usual or proper.
Seen in the wild
6 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Costco doesn't sell warm pastries due to the risk of them developing mold from excess moisture. Instead, pastries are served below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
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BlueskyMay 2026
I think about it a lot, around things like 'well you'd HAVE to live in a big secure house, otherwise people would try and kidnap you' etc BUT I really don't think that excuses the behaviour of a lot, if not most, rich…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Excess All Areas - the 70 songs that have shaped Eurovision revealed tomorrow. #Eurovision #EurovisionSongContest #ESC26 #music
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BlueskyMay 2026
Opulence tangled with cosplay-grade spectacle, all dressed up in ornate excess but lacking any coherent artistic logic. It looks expensive, theatrical, and faintly ridiculous, like wealth trying to impersonate taste w…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Ironic considering brutalisms deep associations with socialism and explicit rejection of capitalist excess
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Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
The state of surpassing or going beyond a limit; the state of being beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; more than what is usual or proper.
The excess of heavy water was given away to the neighbouring country.
Origin: From , from , from , from excedere, to go out, go beyond. See exceed. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
"excess" means: The state of surpassing or going beyond a limit; the state of being beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; more than what is usual or prope.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"excess" means: The state of surpassing or going beyond a limit; the state of being beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; more than what is usual or prope.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Cluster: normal
Heard in the wild
“Costco doesn't sell warm pastries due to the risk of them developing mold from excess moisture. Instead, pastries are served below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I think about it a lot, around things like 'well you'd HAVE to live in a big secure house, otherwise people would try and kidnap you' etc BUT I really don't think that excuses the behaviour of a lot, if not most, rich people. I really do think excess wealth rots their souls.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Excess All Areas - the 70 songs that have shaped Eurovision revealed tomorrow. #Eurovision #EurovisionSongContest #ESC26 #music”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Opulence tangled with cosplay-grade spectacle, all dressed up in ornate excess but lacking any coherent artistic logic. It looks expensive, theatrical, and faintly ridiculous, like wealth trying to impersonate taste without understanding the assignment.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Ironic considering brutalisms deep associations with socialism and explicit rejection of capitalist excess”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder.
, William Walsh, "Jealosy", in The Poetical Works of William Walsh (1797), [http://books.google.ca/books?id=DTVYAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=%22kills+me+with+excess+of+grief%22+Walsh&source=bl&ots=g9LPJcna6l&sig=rzg7UeS1mZeV0uQKyYbzPqgbh…
Heard in the wild
“EPDK refreshes excess electricity generation hourly model for clearer pricing. 🚩 #EPDK #PowerMarkets #Regulation #EnergySales #Sustainability”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK
An act of eating or drinking more than enough.
: That kills me with excess of grief, this with excess of joy.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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Other words near "excess" (E)
excambieexcambionexcellentoexcelsiorexcenterexceptantexchange contractsexchange of contractsExchequerexcise glassExcited StatesExcited States of America
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