overconsumption

noun

over·​con·​sump·​tion ˌō-vər-kən-ˈsəm(p)-shən 

: excessive consumption or use of something

the overconsumption of fossil fuels

overconsumption of alcohol

The flip side of deficient saving, of course, is overconsumption. At its peak in 1987, household expenditure as a percentage of national income was 74%, almost four percentage points above the highest levels reached during the previous two decades.

—Robert S. Gay

Examples of overconsumption in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Creative activations, particularly ones that shock or disquiet, can make the problem of textile waste visible in a city where overconsumption is often glamorized. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 10 Oct. 2025

More research is needed to truly understand if overconsumption of apple cider vinegar might result in bone loss. —Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 6 Oct. 2025

This concept is so interesting to me, especially now considering the amount of overconsumption in beauty right now. —Kayla Greaves, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025

In a thoughtful nod to sustainability, the brand will simultaneously launch an edit of card holders crafted from excess leather from the handbags, allowing Aureum to repurpose materials while maintaining their commitment to reducing overconsumption. —Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overconsumption

• assumption
• consumption
• presumption
• resumption
• subsumption
• gumption
• sumption