Idiom idiom
excess baggage
Meaning
Something or someone not needed or not wanted; something or someone of little use or importance; something or someone considered burdensome.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“You should leave that excess baggage at home.”
“He realized his old habits were just excess baggage that prevented him from moving forward in his career.”
“The company decided to sell its unprofitable divisions, viewing them as nothing more than excess baggage that hindered overall growth.”
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Last updated August 10, 2026