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

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Etymology

Origin of overcapacity

First recorded in 1925–30; over- + capacity

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overcapacity overcapacities

Bringing Chinese firms to the US may also raise questions about Chinese business practices, subsidies and overcapacity, all of which may draw more fire and questions than Xi or his party would like.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

German automakers are ramping up cost-cutting measures in response to a sluggish European market, overcapacity in the EV sector, and the rising strength of Chinese rivals.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

It was an aging company in an aging industry in a world where global overcapacity led to its decline.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

China denies that it has a problem with overcapacity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

But they also often do drive innovation faster and faster, and the sheer overcapacity that they spur—whether it is in railroad lines or automobiles—can create its own unintended positive consequences.

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

“We see overcapacities in China, especially in the chemical sector, which goes to global markets and puts pressure on Europe.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

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