Excess means more than what's needed, wanted, or appropriate. When you have excess candy after Halloween, you have way more than you could possibly eat. When a recipe calls for one cup of flour but you add two, that extra cup is in excess of what the recipe needs.

The word often suggests going beyond reasonable limits. A little rain helps gardens grow, but excessive rain causes flooding. Studying hard is smart, but excessive studying that keeps you up all night hurts more than it helps. When something is done to excess, it means someone has gone overboard: eating to excess means eating past the point of enjoyment.

In everyday use, excess appears in practical contexts. Airlines charge fees for excess baggage when your suitcase weighs more than allowed. A checking account might have excess funds after all the bills are paid. Scientists talk about excess heat or excess energy, meaning amounts beyond what a system can use.

Excess means crossing the line into too much. People often talk about finding balance in things like screen time, spending money, or practicing a sport.