🏭 Extra production 👥 Too many people 🏥 Too full

overcapacity

5.1

Containing more people than a building or room was made to hold

adjective
/ˌoʊvərˈkæpəˌsɪti/

: sobrecapacidad

The school is overcapacity, so some classes are held in temporary buildings.

Examples

During the holiday rush, the airport became overcapacity and flights were delayed.
The emergency room was operating at overcapacity after the accident.
The stadium was filled to overcapacity during the concert.
Our factory is currently operating at overcapacity.
The emergency room was operating at overcapacity after the accident.
During the holiday rush, the airport became overcapacity and flights were delayed.
The stadium was filled to overcapacity during the concert.

Synonyms

excess

vsovercapacity

108 3.3

An amount more than needed or allowed

focuses on going beyond a specific capacity limit, not just surplus amount

overabundance

vsovercapacity

7 5.7

Too much of something that is not needed

refers to exceeding maximum designed space or system limits

superabundance

vsovercapacity

1 7.9

A very large amount of something that is more than needed

means surpassing a set capacity but with less intense focus on excess degree

oversubscription

vsovercapacity

7.2

A situation where more people want something than there are places

is about exceeding a set maximum capacity rather than demand pressure

over-crowding

vsovercapacity

3.1

Too many people in one place, making it uncomfortable and hard to move

is about exceeding a fixed capacity limit, not only discomfort in space

overplus

vsovercapacity

Archaic

9.8

An amount that is more than is needed, often extra food or goods

describes exceeding capacity limits but stresses extreme surplus rather than small overage

overmuchness

vsovercapacity

Archaic

9.9

A state of being more than is needed or wanted

points to going past a built limit for space, service, or system

How Full

overcapacity

5.1

overcrowding

22 2.8

capacity

333 2.2

underloaded

5.7

Surface Forms

overcapacity positive

Morphology

overcapacity = capacity (transparent) = over + capacity

Meaning is directly derived from the productive prefix 'over-' plus 'capacity' to indicate exceeding the usual limit.

Etymology

The word overcapacity combines over ('too much' or 'above') and capacity ('how much something can hold'), like the familiar word capable. As an adjective, it describes a place that is 'too full' or has more people or things than it should.