Oversaturated: meaning, definitions and examples
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oversaturated
[ oʊvərˈsætʃʊˌreɪtɪd ]
market conditions
Oversaturated refers to a market or environment where there is an excessive supply of a product or service, leading to diminished returns or opportunities. In such situations, competition becomes intense, and it becomes harder for individual businesses to thrive. The term can also apply more broadly to situations where an excess of something creates a negative impact.
Synonyms
excessive, overfilled, overloaded.
Examples of usage
- The tech market has become oversaturated with similar products.
- After several new releases, the film industry felt oversaturated with superhero movies.
- Over time, the fashion industry has become oversaturated with trends.
- The food truck scene in the city is becoming oversaturated with options.
Etymology
The term 'oversaturated' is a combination of the prefix 'over-' and the word 'saturate'. 'Saturate' comes from the Latin 'saturare', meaning 'to fill'. The prefix 'over-' indicates an excessive or surplus amount of something. The concept of oversaturation originally appeared in discussions surrounding chemistry and physics, where it described a solution that holds more solute than it can normally dissolve. Over time, the term evolved to be used in a broader economic context, particularly in the late 20th century, as markets began to experience rapid growth and subsequently faced saturation points. Today, it is commonly used in business and marketing discussions to describe not just products, but also ideas, trends, and even information that has become so prevalent that it loses its value or effectiveness.