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• load-shedding
  load-shedding

  noun

  the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.
• load shedding
  load shedding

  noun

  the act or practice of temporarily reducing the supply of electricity to an area to avoid overloading the generators

load-shedding

American  

[lohd-shed-ing] / ˈloʊdˌʃɛd ɪŋ /

Or loadshedding

noun

1. the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.

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load shedding British  

noun

1. the act or practice of temporarily reducing the supply of electricity to an area to avoid overloading the generators

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Etymology

Origin of load-shedding

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

load-shedding load shedding

Ghising, 55, won significant public support when he led the Nepal Electricity Authority in tackling the Himalayan country's load-shedding crisis.

From Barron's ● Dec. 30, 2025

A day after the polls, load-shedding, as rolling power cuts are known as locally, was not only back, but back with a vengeance.

From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2023

In an already dysfunctional economy, with half of all young adults unemployed, load-shedding is a jobs killer.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2023

The admission by ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula comes as South Africa experiences power cuts, known as load-shedding, of up to 10 hours a day.

From BBC ● May 23, 2023

"Sorry there's load-shedding the first night you arrive, Tara. The power should be back soon, though. And the air-conditioning."

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

The "load shedding" - as it is known, euphemistically, here - is set to get worse over the winter months.

From BBC ● May 23, 2023

"There has been a further escalation in load shedding since then, resulting in the additional cost pressure," it said.

From Reuters ● Feb. 8, 2023

"Inevitably, load shedding has disrupted customers, with some impact on turnover. Of greater consequence, however, are the substantial unplanned costs incurred in running localised power generation for stores."

From Reuters ● Feb. 8, 2023

But the entire country is now in the grip of long, daily power cuts, known euphemistically here as "load shedding".

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2022

“The problem is that with increased frequency of load shedding the batteries don’t have time to recharge properly and the phones don’t work,” he said.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 8, 2022