hoarding

¹ American  

[hawr-ding] / ˈhɔr dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or animal that hoards.

   Depression-era hoarding, when gold coins disappeared from circulation;

   the hoarding of nuts by chipmunks.

2. hoardings, things that are hoarded.

---

hoarding ² American  

[hawr-ding, hohr-] / ˈhɔr dɪŋ, ˈhoʊr- /

noun

1. a temporary fence enclosing a construction site.

2. British. a billboard.

---

hoarding British  

/ ˈhɔːdɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called (esp US and Canadian): billboard.  a large board used for displaying advertising posters, as by a road

2. a temporary wooden fence erected round a building or demolition site

---

Etymology

Origin of hoarding¹

First recorded in 1585–95; hoard + -ing ¹

Origin of hoarding²

First recorded in 1815–25; obsolete hoard (from Old French hourd(e) “palisade made of hurdles,” from Germanic; compare German Hürde “hurdle”) + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Kenya's energy ministry on Wednesday denied that there was a shortage of fuel, accusing retailers of hoarding the commodity in anticipation of higher prices.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Many migrant workers lack documentation needed for subsidised LPG and rely on informal markets, where hoarding has pushed up prices.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

In Europe, Slovakia’s government on Wednesday allowed service stations to limit diesel sales, and set higher prices for cars with foreign plates as it clamps down on fuel tourism and hoarding.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

“There was a couple that was always there trying to clean up, looked like there was a lot of hoarding going on,” Llamas said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

I did not break the habit of stealing and hoarding bread until my faith that food would be forthcoming at each meal had been somewhat established.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

Related Words

• accretion
• aggregation
• buildup
• growth
• inflation
• pile
• quantity