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.
India, Vietnam and Indonesia have imposed various protectionist measures to provide some relief for domestic producers from intense price competition, particularly in sectors facing overcapacity and cheap imports. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 June 2025 Europe now stands alone to face its multifaceted and intertwined challenges: a revanchist Russia on full wartime footing, Chinese export overcapacity threatening European industry, and the continent’s own sagging growth of around one percent annually. Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2025 There are clear signs that the Trump administration and Beijing are not on the same page—on the trade deficit, on Chinese industrial overcapacity, and on high technology—which may not bode well for U.S. capital markets still heavily invested in the Chinese economy. John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025 The audit, which was sparked by an uptick in animal deaths and complaints, resulted in 39 recommendations to improve animal welfare and overcapacity issues. Devan Patel, Mercury News, 19 May 2025 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 1 Jul. 2025.

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