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

Steelmakers had struggled for years because of a global overcapacity that led to massive import surges, especially from China, that undercut American steel prices. —Paul Davidson, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025

Another area in which the United States and its partners can cooperate more deeply is in addressing overcapacity in global markets, including in sectors such as steel, vehicles, and less advanced chips. —Geoffrey Gertz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2025

This overcapacity results from the lacklustre production outlook, expected to be flat between 2023 and 2029, still 20% below the 2017, pre-Covid peak. —Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025

The overcapacity of today may be the foundation of tomorrow’s breakthroughs. —Craig S. Smith, Forbes, 8 Mar. 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