1
as in remainder
an unused or unwanted piece or item typically of small size or value
that doormat is just a leftover from when the new carpet was installed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rest
leftovers plural
a remaining group or portion
take as many of these calendars as you want, and put the leftovers back on the shelf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in residual
still existing or present after other parts are used or removed
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover rice.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leftover
ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2025
To store leftovers, transfer your carbonara to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Lunch is leftover tofu and rice from our taco bar — still very tasty!
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leftover
Noun
Most food banks rely on a combination of federal or state dollars, private giving and partnerships with businesses that donate leftover food.
—ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2025
To store leftovers, transfer your carbonara to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Don't burn leftover food or trash on the grill.
—AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Lunch is leftover tofu and rice from our taco bar — still very tasty!
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leftover
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leftover
Noun
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One of the most effective vehicles for accomplishing all of this is a charitable remainder annuity trust, known as a CRAT.—
Andre Pennington,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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The prediction of an above-average remainder of the season is based on a combination of factors, including warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Seas, and an active West African Monsoon.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Later bedtimes, co-sleeping, and room sharing—practices more common in some Latino households—may affect both sleep duration and how parents perceive their children’s rest.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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Instead, listen to your skin, alternate between exfoliation and hydration, and give your skin rest time to recover.—
Essence,
Essence,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Recipe Tips From The Test Kitchen Gently fold in the crabmeat off the heat to preserve its texture; the pasta's residual heat will warm the pre-cooked crab through.—
Elizabeth Mervosh,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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The licensee has to reduce the residual radioactivity to levels that permit release of the property and termination of the facility’s operating license.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The speakers sounded slightly more optimistic about educating recyclers to recognize and refuse problematic copper than lobbying legislators to enact laws requiring more accountability of scrap-metal transactions.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
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The tent is made of scraps of wood joined together.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Porter's closest remaining female rival, Betty Yee, remains in the race.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
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Raiffeisen has the largest remaining Russian operation of any western bank.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Planets will spiral into their stellar remnants or get ejected on timescales of 1025 years or so.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
3 Oct. 2025
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Overgrown with blackberries and ivy, the man spotted remnants of garlic from his father's garden.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leftover.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leftover. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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