overcapacity

noun

over·​ca·​pac·​i·​ty ˌō-vər-kə-ˈpa-sə-tē How to pronounce overcapacity (audio)
-ˈpa-stē
: excessive capacity for production or services in relation to demand

Examples of overcapacity in a Sentence

The airlines are lowering their prices because of an overcapacity of seats.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But many of the forces driving layoffs - overcapacity, labor arbitrage, cost control, macroeconomic hesitation - are neither new nor AI-specific. Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025 The current system for evaluating the performance of government officials has also inadvertently contributed to China’s overcapacity issues, where industries are producing more goods than the market can absorb, according to Goldman Sachs. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 23 July 2025 While there was much concern over the amount of space available on container ships in May when the U.S. first rolled back its tariffs on China for 90 days, the pendulum has heavily swung back to overcapacity on the Pacific Ocean, which is a catalyst for lower freight rates. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 July 2025 At that event, Harbinson spoke about how the airport is now planning much further ahead in the future to prevent another overcapacity issue. Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for overcapacity

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overcapacity was in 1877

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Cite this Entry

“Overcapacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcapacity. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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