overproduce

verb

over·​pro·​duce ˌō-vər-prə-ˈdüs How to pronounce overproduce (audio)
-prō-,
-ˈdyüs
overproduced; overproducing

transitive + intransitive

: to produce an excessive amount (of something)
The drug prevents pimples by shrinking the glands attached to hair follicles that, in acne sufferers, overproduce an oily substance known as sebum, which can clog pores.Mary Duenwald
… if soils are too fertile, the vines can overproduce, leading to vegetal aromas and flavors.Michael Schachner
GM also undermined the resale value of its models by overproducing them and giving them away at fire-sale prices.Keith Naughton et al.
… encourages farmers to overproduce, which further drives prices down …Newsweek

Examples of overproduce in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On top of last year’s strikes, Blade was a victim of pandemic delays and Disney’s full-steam-ahead pivot to streaming, which forced Marvel to overproduce and overdevelop its slate. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2024 Yale still overproduces law professors, judges, and government officials. Nicholas Lemann, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019 For example, people who overproduce mucus in response to dirty air may be helped by inhaling hypertonic saline solution. Linda Carroll, TIME, 30 May 2024 And the argument here is the Biden administration says that China is essentially overproducing a number of goods, among those steel. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024 Either barebones and shot on the fly or overproduced with way too many digital edits. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 22 Mar. 2024 Her body began overproducing skin cells that caused her nails to pit – a condition that occurs when the surrounding skin thickens and lifts fingernails and toenails out of the nail beds. Essence, 9 Jan. 2024 Cancer cells overproduce certain kinds of proteins and amino acids fluoresce in the UV spectrum when irradiated. IEEE Spectrum, 24 Nov. 2023 What’s more, the dryness triggers your sebaceous glands to overproduce oil, which may prompt a vicious cycle of washing your hair more to get rid of the greasiness. Popular Science, 13 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overproduce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overproduce was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near overproduce

Cite this Entry

“Overproduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overproduce. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.

Medical Definition

overproduce

transitive verb
over·​pro·​duce -prə-ˈd(y)üs, -prō- How to pronounce overproduce (audio)
overproduced; overproducing
: to produce to excess
mice genetically altered to overproduce beta-amyloidRichard Saltus
overproduction noun

More from Merriam-Webster on overproduce

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!