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
Factories lack customers and are pushing exports harder, raising trade tensions
Some Chinese factories, saddled with overcapacity in a struggling economy, are trying to export their way out of trouble and stoking new trade tensions in the process.
—
Stella Yifan Xie and Tom Fairless, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2023
But reform requires tough structural adjustments, with pain in overcapacity areas such as heavy industry; relinquishing considerable state control over property and commerce; and accepting weaker growth while adjustment takes place.
—Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2023
President Biden's administration has started releasing migrants into the U.S. interior in the Tucson Sector in Arizona, sources tell Fox News, as agents struggle to deal with facilities that are overcapacity amid a new migrant surge.
—Adam Shaw, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2023
The state's extreme heat has contributed to an overcapacity crisis at the animal shelter.
—Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 10 Aug. 2023
The only traditional new K-6 school to open this fall across Salt Lake and Utah counties is Desert Sky Elementary — drawing in roughly 1,000 Eagle Mountain area kids who had been attending nearby schools that were all at or overcapacity.
—Michael Lee, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023
But the situation locally has been better than in many parts of the country, where the resumption of classes combined with the rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant put enormous strain on pediatric hospitals, which face severe staff shortages and overcapacity in intensive care units.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Sep. 2021
The free, outdoor concert drew large crowds and were overcapacity — causing the concert to come to a halt just two songs in.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023
How to adopt: To help with its extreme overcapacity issues, AHS has free adoptions for all adoptable pets (including puppies and kittens) through May 15 thanks to Bissell Pet Foundation.
—The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 12 May 2023
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Stella Yifan Xie and Tom Fairless, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2023
But reform requires tough structural adjustments, with pain in overcapacity areas such as heavy industry; relinquishing considerable state control over property and commerce; and accepting weaker growth while adjustment takes place.
—Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2023
President Biden's administration has started releasing migrants into the U.S. interior in the Tucson Sector in Arizona, sources tell Fox News, as agents struggle to deal with facilities that are overcapacity amid a new migrant surge.
—Adam Shaw, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2023
The state's extreme heat has contributed to an overcapacity crisis at the animal shelter.
—Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 10 Aug. 2023
The only traditional new K-6 school to open this fall across Salt Lake and Utah counties is Desert Sky Elementary — drawing in roughly 1,000 Eagle Mountain area kids who had been attending nearby schools that were all at or overcapacity.
—Michael Lee, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023
But the situation locally has been better than in many parts of the country, where the resumption of classes combined with the rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant put enormous strain on pediatric hospitals, which face severe staff shortages and overcapacity in intensive care units.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Sep. 2021
The free, outdoor concert drew large crowds and were overcapacity — causing the concert to come to a halt just two songs in.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023
How to adopt: To help with its extreme overcapacity issues, AHS has free adoptions for all adoptable pets (including puppies and kittens) through May 15 thanks to Bissell Pet Foundation.
—The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 12 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overcapacity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1877, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near overcapacity
Cite this Entry
“Overcapacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcapacity. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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