hoarding

1 of 2

noun (1)

hoard·​ing ˈhȯr-diŋ 

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

Noun

Dementia can also manifest as uncharacteristic-obsessive compulsive disorder or hoarding behavior, Cruz-Saavedra adds. —Angela Haupt, Time, 15 Jan. 2026

The cemetery has been thrust into the spotlight after a Lancaster County man was accused of harvesting sets of human remains in the middle of the night, hoarding skulls, bones, and corpses, and then offering some of them for sale on his social media accounts. —Joe Holden, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026

Like a little-and-large tag-team, the fuming pair had raced down the touchline to remonstrate with Millwall defender Alan Dunne after Bradford striker James Hanson had been barged over the pitchside advertising hoarding. —Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026

Tehran has warned suppliers against hoarding and price gouging as the rial collapses against the dollar, exacerbating public frustration and fueling daily demonstrations. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026

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

Phrases Containing hoarding

• hoarding disorder

Rhymes for hoarding

• boarding
• cording
• fording
• warding
• according
• affording
• awarding
• keyboarding
• recording
• rewarding
• skateboarding
• snowboarding

Medical Definition

hoarding

noun

hoard·​ing ˈhȯrd-iŋ 

: 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