overcapacity

American  

[oh-ver-kuh-pas-i-tee] / ˌoʊ vər kəˈpæs ɪ ti /

noun

overcapacities plural

1. capacity beyond what is normal, allowed, or desirable.

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overcapacity British  

/ ˌəʊvəkəˈpæsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the situation in which an industry or business cannot sell as much as it produces

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• overcapacities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of overcapacity

First recorded in 1925–30; over- + capacity

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overcapacity overcapacities

The investigation into overcapacity concerns was announced in March and is targeting 16 economies, including major trading partners like the E.U.,

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

That investigation into overcapacity concerns was announced in March and is targeting 16 economies, including major trading partners like the European Union, China, Mexico, Japan and India.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

This has led to overcapacity in some sectors, pushing down global prices to the detriment of other international players.

From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026

It has in recent years capped annual production at 45 million tons to curb industrial overcapacity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Unlike other forms of Internet overinvestment, it was permanent: Once the fiber cables were laid, no one was going to dig them up and thereby eliminate the overcapacity.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

This would help to build a "defensive mechanism against subsidized steel, against global overcapacities," he added.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

"Efforts to slash overcapacities in old-fashioned industries, as well as the housing market downturn ... will continue to weigh on overall economic activity," said Nikolaus Keis at UniCredit.

From Reuters ● Jul. 1, 2014