surf

1 of 2

noun

ˈsərf 

1

: the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore

2

: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2

verb

surfed; surfing; surfs

intransitive verb

1

: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)

2

: to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest

transitive verb

: to scan the offerings of (such as television or the Internet) for something of interest

surfer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• foam
• froth
• head
• lather
• spume
• suds

Examples of surf in a Sentence

Noun

We could hear the roar of the surf.

beachgoers romping in the swirling surf

Verb

He learned to surf when he was living in California.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tropical storm conditions are expected in the Azores for the next several hours, along with rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches and life-threatening surf conditions. —Jordan King, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024

If the surf isn’t good, Chris will exercise during the workday, so family time isn’t compromised. —Ed Flores, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Verb

An Italian woman is dead after she was impaled by a swordfish while surfing in Indonesia. —Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

An Italian surfer died after a swordfish reportedly struck her while surfing off Indonesia's West Sumatra coast. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing surf

• crowd surf
• surf and turf
• surf casting
• surf clam

Kids Definition

surf

1 of 2 noun

ˈsərf 

1

: waves that break upon the shore

2

: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves

surf

2 of 2 verb

1

: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)

2

: to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something of interest