What does glutting mean?
Glutting is the present participle of glut, a verb meaning to fill, feed, or supply something beyond what is needed or wanted. Its best-known use is economic: a producer glutting the market releases so much of a product that supply outstrips demand, often forcing prices down. The word can also describe a person consuming food or another substance to excess. As a gerund-like verb form, glutting can name the activity itself rather than merely one instance of it. The form is understood in British and American English but sounds more literary or technical than the base verb glut. It is useful because it captures not merely a large quantity, but an excess that becomes destabilizing: too many goods can undermine their own value, and excessive consumption can overwhelm the consumer.
verbGlutting is the present participle of glut: filling or supplying something to excess, especially by flooding a market with enough goods to depress prices. It can also mean eating to excess.
- Flooding a market with enough of a product or commodity to create an excess supply and depress prices.
- Filling oneself with food or another consumable beyond a reasonable or comfortable amount.
"Low-cost sellers kept glutting the market until prices collapsed."
"Low-cost sellers kept glutting the market until prices collapsed."
"They spent the afternoon glutting on roast beef and pies."
Too much of a good thing can become a glut: glutting the market can drive down the very prices that made the product attractive.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of glutting
Glutting is the present participle of glut, formed by adding the ending -ing to the verb. Glut descends through Middle English from Old English glot, a word associated with excess or gluttony. Its later economic sense, referring to an excessive supply of goods, developed from the idea of abundance.
Related word forms
How glutting is actually used
Glutting is less frequent than the shorter base verb glut and sounds literary or technical, especially in economic contexts. It normally carries negative connotations because the excess creates waste, imbalance, or discomfort.
Easily confused with glutting
Gluing means joining things with adhesive, whereas glutting means filling or supplying something to excess.