1
: the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves
surfed; surfing; surfs
1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest
: 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
Mark Gauert, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2025
Nearby, the state park’s gorgeous beach itself has a mile of sugar-fine sand that draws anglers for surf fishing and families for beach volleyball.
—Terry Ward, Outside Online, 19 Jan. 2025
Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Beach vacation For beach vacations, leave the kids with a trusted guardian and embark on activities like paddle boarding or surfing without interruption.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for surf 
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Noun
There’s nothing animatronic about the crabs skittering in the turquoise surf on the southeastern tip of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
—Mark Gauert, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2025
Nearby, the state park’s gorgeous beach itself has a mile of sugar-fine sand that draws anglers for surf fishing and families for beach volleyball.
—Terry Ward, Outside Online, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
As one of Intrepid's Women's Expedition destinations, Morocco offers a wide range of adventures to choose from, including camel rides over sand dunes, exploring city souks and ancient architectures, and even surfing along the Atlantic coast.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Beach vacation For beach vacations, leave the kids with a trusted guardian and embark on activities like paddle boarding or surfing without interruption.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for surf
Dictionary Entries Near surf
Cite this Entry
“Surf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surf. Accessed 25 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surf
1 of 2 noun1
: waves that break upon the shore
2
: the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves
surf
2 of 2 verb1
: to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2
: to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something of interest
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