overcapacity

noun

over·​ca·​pac·​i·​ty ˌō-vər-kə-ˈpa-sə-tē 

-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

The number of animals euthanized in 2024 decreased by 83,000, which has been attributed to facilities being overcapacity, limited resources or behavioral issues. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

The bank attributed the drop to Beijing's efforts in reining in industrial overcapacity and the housing downturn. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 Nov. 2025

This devastatingly effective combination has enabled China to export its way out of a prolonged post-COVID economic slump that exacerbated already massive industrial overcapacity. —Andy Browne, semafor.com, 13 Nov. 2025

Next weekend's new release stable is packed to near overcapacity, with at least two titles possessing the horsepower to overtake Predator: Badlands. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overcapacity

• audacity
• capacity
• loquacity
• mendacity
• opacity
• pugnacity
• rapacity
• sagacity
• tenacity
• veracity
• vivacity
• voracity