overconsumption

noun

over·​con·​sump·​tion ˌō-vər-kən-ˈsəm(p)-shən 

: excessive consumption or use of something

the overconsumption of fossil fuels

overconsumption of alcohol

The flip side of deficient saving, of course, is overconsumption. At its peak in 1987, household expenditure as a percentage of national income was 74%, almost four percentage points above the highest levels reached during the previous two decades.

—Robert S. Gay

Examples of overconsumption in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some people opt for a capsule wardrobe to make getting dressed easier, while others do so to avoid overconsumption. —Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026

Chronic overconsumption and inactivity lead to excess body fat (especially in the abdominal region), resulting in insulin resistance, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and early kidney dysfunction. —Jia Shen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026

In addition to its harmful systemic effects, consuming alcoholic beverages is linked with the loss of dietary restraint and overconsumption of calories. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 23 Feb. 2026

Very few people want to buy a ticket for a lecture on overconsumption, corporate exploitation, and the dumbing down of public discourse. —Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overconsumption

• assumption
• consumption
• presumption
• resumption
• subsumption
• gumption
• sumption