excess

/ˈɛksɛs/

//ˈɛksɛs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"excess" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“excess” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,035 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,035
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - 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.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

excess vs exes
67% similar
excess vs excuse
67% similar
excess vs excise
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for excess
PropertyValue
Headwordexcess
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛksɛs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#5,035
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “excess” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). excess lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for excess is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛksɛs/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,035 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for excess, with forms such as "ecxess", "exccess", and "exces". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "exes", "excuse", "excise", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English exces (“excess, ecstasy”), from Old French exces, from Latin excessus (“a going out, loss of self-possession”), from excedere, excessum (“to go out, go beyond”). See exceed. The correct English form is excess, spelled E-X-C-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    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.
  2. 2
    The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder.
  3. 3
    An act of eating or drinking more than enough.
  4. 4
    Spherical excess, the amount by which the sum of the three angles of a spherical triangle exceeds two right angles. The spherical excess is proportional to the area of the triangle.
  5. 5
    A condition on an insurance policy by which the insured pays for a part of the claim.

Etymology

From Middle English exces (“excess, ecstasy”), from Old French exces, from Latin excessus (“a going out, loss of self-possession”), from excedere, excessum (“to go out, go beyond”). See exceed.

Synonyms

abundanceacrasiaacrasyexcessexcessivenessexuberancecopiousnessfecundityfertilenessfertilityfruitfulnessfulthglutimmoderationincontinenceintemperancemountainnimietyoverabundanceoverageoverflowoverplusoverquantityoversumplenteousnessplentifulnessplentyplethoraproductivenessprofusionsuperabundancesuperadditionsuperfluitysuperfluousnesssuperfluxsuperplussurfeitsurplussurplusageubertyug

Antonyms

deficiencylack

This word in other languages

exceso(Español)excès(Français)Überfluss(Deutsch)excesso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ecxess,exccess,exces,excses,execss,exxcess,xecess

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of excess - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ecxess2exccess1exces1excses2execss2exxcess1xecess2
Edit distance from "excess"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "excess"?
"excess" is spelled E-X-C-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛksɛs/.
What does "excess" mean?
As a noun, "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 proper.
What words are commonly confused with "excess"?
"excess" is commonly confused with "exes", "excuse", "excise". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "excess"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "excess" is /ˈɛksɛs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "excess"?
From Middle English exces (“excess, ecstasy”), from Old French exces, from Latin excessus (“a going out, loss of self-possession”), from excedere, excessum (“to go out, go beyond”). See exceed. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “excess”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-C-E-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛksɛs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “exes” - see the side-by-side comparison. excess vs exes
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list