In Excess Of – Usage & Meaning

So, is it “in-excess” or “in excess of”? And how do we use it correctly in a sentence? Those are great questions and definitely not silly ones. I know a lot of people who get the facts mixed up about this term. So, I’m here to clear the air and help you get the facts straight.

What’s the Meaning of “in Excess Of”?

In English, when we say “in excess of,” we’re talking about a quantity or amount of something greater than a certain number or limit.

Basically, it means “too much” or “more than.” Like, if you were running a business and told your accountant that you made in excess of five hundred thousand dollars last year, that would mean you made more than five hundred grand.

Is It In-Excess or in Excess Of?

Well, the correct term is “in excess of” without the hyphen, not “in-excess of.” It is because “in excess” is a prepositional phrase, and “of” is the preposition that completes the phrase. You can’t say “in excess” with the “of” unless you’re talking about the popular 80s band, but then it would be spelled INXS.

In Excess of Synonyms

• Over
• More than
• Beyond
• Above
• Surpassing
• Exceeding

How to Use “in Excess Of”

To use “in excess of” the right way, you need to identify the specific quantity or limit that’s being exceeded. You can use it in a ton of different contexts, like financial statements, legal documents, or even in everyday conversation. Here are some examples of using “in excess of” in a sentence.

• The number of attendees at the party was in excess of what we had expected.
• Michael Jordan’s performance was in excess of what the coach had anticipated.
• We’d only planned to have about fifty people at our wedding but ended up with a list in excess of a hundred guests.
• Our costs for this project went in excess of the budget we had set.
• The company’s profits were over $10 million in excess of last year’s earnings, so everyone’s getting a huge bonus this year!
• We got an amount of snowfall in the mountain that was more than 20 feet in excess of the average for this time of year.
• Jordan’s record-breaking time was beyond the previous Canadian record in excess of 2 seconds.
• Slow down! You’re driving above the legal limit in excess of 30 mph!
• I know the weight of the shipment was in excess of 500 pounds, but I sent it anyway.

Do You Have an Excess of Anything?

So, that pretty much sums up everything you need to know about using the term “in excess of.” Switch it up in your writing and use any of the synonyms I listed above. They all have the same meaning and would work in most contexts that “in excess of” would. I hope my little guide has helped you understand things a little better!