over·stock
ˈō-vər-ˌstäk 
plural overstocks
: a surplus of stock : an excessively large inventory of goods
Dealers were reminded at the fall Comdex show that they could lose their contracts if they were caught selling their overstock of PCs … to unauthorized dealers.—
David Stamps
David StampsA group of women from the fashion industry got together to buy designer overstocks for men, women and children and sell them at a discount on the Internet.—Jill Sabulis
Jill Sabulis
over·stock
ˌō-vər-ˈstäk
overstocked; overstocking
1
transitive + intransitive
: to stock too much or too many of (something) : to get or have excess inventory of (a good or goods)
The big, reputable department stores frequently overstock designers' wares for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day.—John Heilemann
John Heilemanndiscounting overstocked merchandise
Don't overstock. Sure, you don't want to run out of product. … But tying up all your capital in inventory can turn your company into the Titanic.—Michelle Goodman
Michelle Goodman2
transitive
: to provide (something or someone) with too large a supply of something
Supermarkets are already overstocking their shelves with traditional Thanksgiving food items.—Michelle Singletary
Michelle SingletaryRetailers try to walk a fine line between threatening their profits by overstocking their stores—as happened the last couple of years—and running out of popular gift items, which means lost sales.—Jenny Strasburg
Jenny Strasburg… many American cities are overstocked with … office and residential space.—Don McLeod
Don McLeod… we agonized about overstocking the list with luxurious French restaurants, big-city restaurants, or those with famous chefs.—Gourmet
GourmetExamples of overstock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2024
Brands that plan early can better leverage data analytics to predict demand, reducing overstock and stockouts.
—Pratik Bhadra, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2024
The shift has left some automakers overstocked with too many pricier trucks and SUVs.
—Tom Krisher, The Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overstock 
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Noun
New, open-box items, like this Apple Pencil, are typically overstock items from store shelves.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2024
Brands that plan early can better leverage data analytics to predict demand, reducing overstock and stockouts.
—Pratik Bhadra, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
These items are either overstocked from Coach stores or specifically manufactured for the outlet.
—Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2024
The shift has left some automakers overstocked with too many pricier trucks and SUVs.
—Tom Krisher, The Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overstock
Dictionary Entries Near overstock
Cite this Entry
“Overstock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overstock. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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