surged; surging
1
: to rise and fall actively : toss
a ship surging in heavy seas
2
: to rise and move in waves or billows : swell
the sea was surging
3
: to slip around a windlass, capstan, or bitts
—used especially of a rope
4
: to rise suddenly to an excessive or abnormal value
the stock market surged to a record high
5
: to move with a surge or in surges
felt the blood surging into his face—
Harry Hervey
Harry Herveyshe surged past the other runners
: to let go or slacken gradually
surge a rope
1
: a swelling, rolling, or sweeping forward like that of a wave or series of waves
a surge of interest
2
a
: a large wave or billow : swell
b(1)
: a series of such swells or billows
(2)
: the resulting elevation of water level
3
a
: a movement (such as a slipping or slackening) of a rope or cable
b
: a sudden jerk or strain caused by such a movement
4
: a transient sudden rise of current or voltage in an electrical circuit
Synonyms
Examples of surge in a Sentence
Verb
We all surged toward the door.
She surged past the other runners.
Thoughts of what could happen were surging through his mind.
Housing prices have surged in recent months.
Interest in the sport has been surging.
Noun
The sport is enjoying a surge in popularity.
a surge of support for the candidate
There was a sudden surge toward the door.
There has been a surge of immigrants into the city.
Recent Examples on the WebLizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 8 July 2024
The latest fast-growing fire, in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County, had surged past 20,000 acres as of Monday.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 9 July 2024
The Congress has the power of the purse and should have shut the government down until the border crisis and relentless immigration surge is controlled.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for surge 
Verb
Now, book bans are surging across the country, with the American Library Association finding the number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 8 July 2024
The latest fast-growing fire, in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County, had surged past 20,000 acres as of Monday.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
Noun
But the surge in online shopping over the past 10 years or so has opened the door to crooks and con artists, too.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 9 July 2024
The Congress has the power of the purse and should have shut the government down until the border crisis and relentless immigration surge is controlled.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for surge
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near surge
Cite this Entry
“Surge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surge. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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