supply and demand

noun

: the amount of goods and services that are available for people to buy compared to the amount of goods and services that people want to buy
If less of a product than the public wants is produced, the law of supply and demand says that more can be charged for the product.

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Meanwhile, housing production slowed, affordable developments stalled, and the gap between supply and demand widened. David Schwartz, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 The deep dive into personalized pricing comes after the FTC recently flagged dynamic pricing—or setting prices based on supply and demand as well as inventory levels and competitor pricing. Joshua Hong, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 That knowledge may include valuation methods, leasing structures, operating expenses, buyer expectations, and the market forces that are influencing supply and demand. James Nelson, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 As for resale prices, those are set by sellers and depend on supply and demand. Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for supply and demand

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Cite this Entry

“Supply and demand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supply%20and%20demand. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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