surplusage

Definitions

An amount of something left over when requirements have been met; an excess.

Matter included in a legal document that is unnecessary to the meaning or validity of the instrument.

Examples

The legal contract was revised to remove the surplusage that made the terms unnecessarily confusing.

In his writing, he often included a great deal of surplusage that distracted the reader from his main argument.

Synonyms

excess superfluity redundancy overabundance surplus plethora extra

Antonyms

deficiency lack scarcity dearth insufficiency shortage paucity