overproduction

noun

over·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌō-vər-prə-ˈdək-shən 

-prō-

: the act or an instance of producing too much of something

By law, a French wine maker can only produce so much wine from a given acre of vines. This is meant to prevent uncontrolled—and unconscionable—overproduction.

—Frank J. Prial

That situation came to a head during the Great Depression, when an extended bout of overproduction led to falling prices and a severe farm crisis.

—Tom Philpott

The site will give the company better information about customer demand, helping it avoid shortages of popular vehicles and overproduction of duds.

—Eric Young

In sensitized individuals, normally harmless substances, such as pollens and molds, trigger the overproduction of histamine …

—Gary Rachelefsky

Examples of overproduction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Consequently, consumers endure the worst of both worlds: a commodity that is susceptible to rapid price increases, lacking the infrastructure to reduce prices during periods of overproduction, all while relying on an emissions-intensive delivery system. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

Meanwhile, those who fail to embrace transparency or address overproduction will struggle. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 Jan. 2025

This reduces waste while allowing brands to respond quickly to shifting consumer demands, all without contributing to overproduction. —Andre Claudio, WWD, 18 Dec. 2024

This overproduction is destroying the environment and wreaking havoc on communities in the Global South – 15 million secondhand garments arrive at Kantamanto Market each week from places like the U.S., U.K., E.U., China, and Canada; 40% of which ultimately go unsold and leave the market as waste. —Esha Chhabra, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above