surf

1 of 2

noun

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In that spirit, here are 13 of the best beach movies about sun, surf, and oceanside romance. Emma Specter, Vogue, 3 May 2025 The kid is unimpressed by him; the local surf bullies even less so. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
For Valentine’s Day this year, Henry celebrated their relationship by posting an adorable picture on Instagram of the couple surfing together. Charna Flam, People.com, 8 May 2025 Hot Docs Best International Short Documentary, sponsored by TVO Docs, was presented to Alice (D: Gabriel Novis | Brazil | 17 min), in which Alice, a trans woman, finds solace in surfing the waters of Maceió, Brazil. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for surf

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of surf was in 1685

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surf. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

surf

1 of 2 noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on surf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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