hoarding

1 of 2

noun (1)

hoard·​ing ˈhȯr-diŋ How to pronounce hoarding (audio)
plural hoardings
1
a
: the practice of collecting or accumulating something (such as money or food)
The hoarding and misuse of resources was uncommon even in times of natural disaster …Tanvi Nagpal
b
: something that is hoarded
usually plural
Inside the net with us was a large brown paper bag, spewing forth the Halloween hoardings of the child in the gorilla suit …John Irving
2
psychology : the compulsion to continually accumulate a variety of items that are often considered useless or worthless by others accompanied by an inability to discard the items without great distress
Hoarding is marked by an overwhelming desire to collect items and an inability to discard things that may seem useless, to such a point that the collections cause stress and start impacting a person's health, career or relationships.Erin Allday
People justify hoarding as curating and recycling, deeming odd objects beautiful and useful.Peter D. Kramer
see also hoarding disorder

hoarding

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural hoardings
1
: a temporary board fence put about a building being erected or repaired

called also hoard

2
British : billboard

Examples of hoarding in a Sentence

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.
Noun
This effectively amounts to corporate cash hoarding. Ivan Illan, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 Mom’s hoarding and Dad’s madcap inventions? Amanda Uhle august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025 Newsweek spoke to Justine Wilkinson, an environmental health officer at Northumbria University in England, who studies the psychological roots of animal hoarding. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025 What separates regular collecting from hoarding is often trauma, Neave said. Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoarding

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

hourd, hoard hoarding

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoarding was in 1589

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoarding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoarding. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

hoarding

noun
hoard·​ing ˈhȯrd-iŋ How to pronounce hoarding (audio)
: the compulsion to continually accumulate a variety of items that are often considered useless or worthless by others accompanied by an inability to discard the items without great distress
Hoarding is marked by an overwhelming desire to collect items and an inability to discard things that may seem useless, to such a point that the collections cause stress and start impacting a person's health, career or relationships.Erin Allday
People justify hoarding as curating and recycling, deeming odd objects beautiful and useful.Peter D. Kramer
see hoarding disorder

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