hoarding

1 of 2

noun (1)

hoard·​ing ˈhȯr-diŋ 

plural hoardings

1

a

: the practice of collecting or accumulating something (such as money or food)

The hoarding and misuse of resources was uncommon even in times of natural disaster …

—Tanvi Nagpal

b

: something that is hoarded

—usually plural

Inside the net with us was a large brown paper bag, spewing forth the Halloween hoardings of the child in the gorilla suit …

—John Irving

2

psychology : the compulsion to continually accumulate a variety of items that are often considered useless or worthless by others accompanied by an inability to discard the items without great distress

Hoarding is marked by an overwhelming desire to collect items and an inability to discard things that may seem useless, to such a point that the collections cause stress and start impacting a person's health, career or relationships.

—Erin Allday

People justify hoarding as curating and recycling, deeming odd objects beautiful and useful.

—Peter D. Kramer

see also hoarding disorder

hoarding

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural hoardings

1

: a temporary board fence put about a building being erected or repaired

called also hoard

2

British : billboard

Examples of hoarding in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Smith indicted Trump for alleged election fraud in attempting to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election, as well as for the alleged hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

As the game progressed, the names of the towns affected by the flooding were flashed on the pitchside advertising hoardings. —Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

But shortages of other things children need may also lead to food hoarding, Daigle said. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 21 June 2024

Johnny Carson was so popular during his heyday that a late-night quip about a toilet paper shortage caused a run on the product at grocery stores across the country in 1973, nearly a half-century before widespread pandemic hoarding of that important bathroom product. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

hourd, hoard hoarding

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hoarding

• hoarding disorder

Medical Definition

hoarding

noun

hoard·​ing ˈhȯrd-iŋ 

: the compulsion to continually accumulate a variety of items that are often considered useless or worthless by others accompanied by an inability to discard the items without great distress

Hoarding is marked by an overwhelming desire to collect items and an inability to discard things that may seem useless, to such a point that the collections cause stress and start impacting a person's health, career or relationships.

—Erin Allday

People justify hoarding as curating and recycling, deeming odd objects beautiful and useful.

—Peter D. Kramer

see hoarding disorder