overconsumption

noun

over·​con·​sump·​tion ˌō-vər-kən-ˈsəm(p)-shən 

: excessive consumption or use of something

the overconsumption of fossil fuels

overconsumption of alcohol

The flip side of deficient saving, of course, is overconsumption. At its peak in 1987, household expenditure as a percentage of national income was 74%, almost four percentage points above the highest levels reached during the previous two decades.

—Robert S. Gay

Examples of overconsumption in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sign #7: Experience Withdrawal Symptoms As a consequence of chronic overconsumption, individuals with food addiction tend to build up a tolerance to overeating. —Michael MacIntyre, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025

Get real about your spending The goal of a low-buy or no-buy challenge is to break the cycle of overconsumption by cutting nonessential spending for a set period. —Nerdwallet, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2025

Rooted in religion and spirituality—and then a victim of modern overconsumption—its rarity and intense aroma add to its allure. —Sable Yong, Allure, 17 Jan. 2025

In 2025, by contrast, the United States suffers from a crisis of overconsumption. —Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overconsumption

• assumption
• consumption
• presumption
• resumption
• subsumption
• gumption
• sumption