Superfluous (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being; "otiose lines in a play"; "advice is wasted words"; "a pointless remark"; "a life essentially purposeless"; "senseless violence".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The elaborate ceremony was deemed superfluous by many, as the guests of honor had already arrived hours earlier.
- The politician's promise to create more jobs was seen as superfluous since the economy was already showing signs of recovery.
- The additional feature on the smartphone is superfluous, as most users will never use it.
- The lengthy survey included superfluous questions that seemed to serve no real purpose.
- The professor's criticism of the novel's protagonist was superfluous, as the character's motivations were already clearly understood.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
More than is needed, desired, or required; "trying to lose excess weight"; "found some extra change lying on the dresser"; "yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant"; "skills made redundant by technological advance"; "sleeping in the spare room"; "supernumerary ornamentation"; "it was supererogatory of her to gloat"; "delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words"; "extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts"; "surplus cheese distributed to the needy".
Classification
All adjective clusters.