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.
At the same time, the conflict is also likely to bolster demand for China’s world-leading green energy manufacturers as countries push to wean themselves off fossil fuel dependency, potentially alleviating a downward price spiral that recently pushed Beijing to curb solar overcapacity. Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026 Major Chinese industries have been plagued by overcapacity in recent years, which has given rise to cutthroat price competition that has put deflationary pressure on the economy. John Liu, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026 Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut on Thursday slashed its operating profit forecast, citing falling cocoa prices, industry overcapacity and potential supply disruption linked to the Iran war. Hugh Leask,sam Meredith, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026 During that time, the company has also been walloped by tariffs, geopolitical challenges, and industry overcapacity. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026 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 Apr. 2026.

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