Word
surge
US/ˈsɝdʒ/
UK/sˈɜːdʒ/
Definitions
01sudden increase
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a sudden and great increase in something.
n. a sudden, transient rush or significant increase in volume, intensity, or quantity.
日本語:急増※
“The city saw a sudden surge in the number of people using public transport this morning.”
“Economists noted a significant surge in consumer spending following the announcement of the tax cuts, though they warned the effect might be temporary.”
02electricity
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technical
n. a sudden, brief increase in the amount of electricity in a wire.
n. a transient increase in voltage or current in an electrical circuit, often capable of damaging sensitive equipment.
“A power surge during the storm damaged my computer.”
“The facility installed industrial-grade protectors to shield the servers from any unexpected voltage surge caused by the local power grid.”
03water or sea
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science
n. a sudden, strong movement of a large amount of water.
n. a powerful forward or upward movement of a body of water, such as a swell or a storm-driven rise in sea level.
日本語:うねり※
“The storm surge caused the river to overflow and flood the nearby streets.”
“Meteorologists warned that the tidal surge would likely breach the coastal defences if the wind speed continued to increase throughout the night.”
04jet engine
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. a sudden change in airflow that makes a jet engine lose power or make loud noises.
n. a momentary reversal of airflow through a jet engine's compressor, typically resulting in a loss of thrust and audible banging.
“The pilot managed the engine surge safely and landed the plane without any trouble.”
“The investigation concluded that a compressor surge was triggered when the aircraft ingested a large bird during the initial climb phase.”
Synonyms
05to move forward suddenly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to move forward or upward very quickly and with great force.
v. to move with a sudden, strong, and irresistible force in a specific direction.
“The crowd surged forward as soon as the gates opened.”
“Adrenaline surged through his veins as he stepped onto the stage to address the waiting audience.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.
06to increase quickly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to increase in value or amount very suddenly.
v. to experience a sudden and significant increase in value, price, or intensity.
“Oil prices surged after the news of the conflict reached the markets.”
“The company's stock surged by ten percent in midday trading following the release of their quarterly earnings report.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “surge” in context.
Verb
01. experience a surge in demand
“The retail sector experienced a surge in demand for online services during the holiday season.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. stem the surge of refugees
“International aid agencies are working tirelessly to stem the surge of refugees fleeing the conflict zone.”
verb + noun + of + noun
Adjective
03. sudden surge
“A sudden surge in voltage caused the entire electrical system to shut down.”
adj + noun
04. unprecedented surge
“The hospital struggled to cope with an unprecedented surge in admissions over the weekend.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. storm surge
“Coastal towns were evacuated due to the threat of a massive storm surge following the hurricane.”
noun + noun
06. surge of adrenaline
“She felt a powerful surge of adrenaline as she stepped onto the stage for her debut performance.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. amid a surge in prices
“Consumer confidence has wavered amid a surge in energy prices across the continent.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
08. surge in patients
09. surge pricing
10. surged past
Real-World Examples
“But there was little sign problems had been experienced on a similar scale this time round, despite a surge in “eyes hurt” Google searches.” “The warning comes after the NHS sees a surge in patients and problems with equipment in high temperatures.” “But when electricity prices surged after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, costs rose, and over the past couple of winters, things began to change.” Etymology
The verb is from Middle English ^((please verify)) surgen, possibly from Middle French sourgir, from Old French surgir (“to rise, ride near the shore, arrive, land”), from Old Catalan surgir, from Latin surgō, contraction of surrigō, subrigō (“lift up, raise, erect; intransitive rise, arise, get up, spring up, grow, etc.”, transitive verb), from sub (“from below; up”) + regō (“to stretch”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃réǵeti (“to straighten; right”), from the root h₃reǵ-; see regent. Doublet of source and sourd. The noun is from the verb.
From Middle English sourge, of uncertain origin. In the earliest examples, translating Old French sourgeon (modern French surgeon), from sourge- (which the Middle English term is probably from), the present stem of sourdre, from Latin surgō (“to rise”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/surge
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0