a great surplus

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a great surplus" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an abundance or excess of something, often in economic or resource contexts. Example: "The country experienced a great surplus in its agricultural production this year, leading to lower food prices."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"And now we have a great surplus of them".

The New York Times - Sports

Nowadays, there is a great surplus due to the increase in the biodiesel production.

Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture

The wars had also brought to Rome a great surplus of inexpensive slave labor, which the landed aristocrats used to staff their new farms.

Wikipedia

During adult neurogenesis, a great surplus of cells is generated, of which about 60 80% die shortly after the birth of a new neuron.

Cell Death and Disease

As shown in Fig. 3C, rbf1 cic double mutant ommatidial clusters display a great surplus of interommatidial cells, while only a few cic single mutant ommatidial clusters contain extra interommatidial cells.

Biology Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Instead what we've seen over the last few years, a year of great surplus, in fact, is that the governor spent money three times the rate of inflation, increased the state's debt by some 35percentt and made no effort to reduce the debt...

The New York Times

The great surplus has shriveled away now, and Two-Buck Chuck, officially known as Charles Shaw, has been relegated to the back aisles of many a Trader Joe's.

The New York Times - Food

The White House projects a surplus of $746 billion over the next decade, and the Gore tour, scheduled to span the next two weeks, is designed to coincide with forecasts of an even greater surplus.

The New York Times

And if, finally, you were to pull away to see Earth looped with those blacktop roads and shipping lanes and air arcs, you could see moving along them the great surpluses of food, bought cheaply on one continent by one of the great global commodity dealers and then sold at a profit on another, bending and bowing the economic rules by which the local producers played.

The Guardian - Books

Whites displaced blacks in many cases, and the period coincided with a great migration of surplus low-wage labour from the South to the industrial cities of the Northeast and Midwest.Speaking more broadly, an across-the-board increase in wages at the bottom of the wage distribution, which was accompanied by a corresponding increase in prices, would have two big effects.

The Economist

There are two mechanisms that could explain this relationship: more economically developed areas have greater "MMM", mobile men with money, who may have higher sexual risk; or more economically developed areas have greater "surplus men", so called because this group of unmarried, poor migrant men cannot find wives.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a great surplus" to emphasize a significant overabundance, especially when the surplus has notable consequences or implications.

Common error

Avoid using "a great surplus" when describing small or insignificant excesses. Reserve this phrase for situations where the surplus is genuinely substantial and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a great surplus" functions as a noun phrase, where "great" modifies the noun "surplus". It typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence, indicating the presence of a substantial excess of something, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a great surplus" effectively conveys a substantial overabundance, finding use across diverse fields like economics, biology, and sports. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically sound and suitable for various contexts. While not extremely common, it carries a distinct emphasis, highlighting the magnitude of the surplus. For similar concepts, consider using alternatives such as "a significant excess" or "a considerable abundance" to tailor the message to the specific situation. Remember to use this expression when the surplus is genuinely significant, not for trivial amounts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant excess

Emphasizes the notable quantity beyond what is needed.

a considerable abundance

Highlights the large amount that is available.

a large excess

Focuses on the magnitude of the surplus.

a substantial overage

Stresses the amount exceeding the required quantity.

an ample surplus

Indicates more than enough of something.

a plentiful excess

Emphasizes the rich and abundant nature of the surplus.

a massive oversupply

Highlights an extreme excess, often in a market context.

a sizable excess

Focuses on the large size of the surplus.

an overflowing abundance

Suggests the surplus is so great it's overflowing.

a glut

Indicates an excessive oversupply, often with negative connotations.

FAQs

How can I use "a great surplus" in a sentence?

You can use "a great surplus" to describe an abundance or excess of something. For example, "The country experienced "a great surplus" in its agricultural production this year, leading to lower food prices."

What phrases are similar to "a great surplus"?

Alternatives include "a significant excess", "a considerable abundance", or "a large excess" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a great surplus of"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The phrase "a great surplus of" is followed by the noun that is in abundance. For instance, "a great surplus of wheat".

What is the difference between "a great surplus" and "a small surplus"?

While "a great surplus" describes a large overabundance, "a small surplus" refers to a minor excess. Choose the phrasing depending on the situation to accurately describe scale of the surplus.