carryover

1 of 2

noun

car·​ry·​over ˈker-ē-ˌō-vər How to pronounce carryover (audio)
ˈka-rē-
1
: the act or process of carrying over
2
: something retained or carried over
superstitions that are carryovers from ancient times

carry over

2 of 2

verb

carried over; carrying over; carries over

transitive verb

1
a
: to transfer (an amount) to the next column, page, or book relating to the same account
b
: to hold over (something, such as goods) for another time or season
2
: to deduct (a loss or an unused credit) from taxable income of a later period

intransitive verb

: to persist from one stage or sphere of activity to another

Examples of carryover in a Sentence

Noun superstitions that are carryovers from ancient times
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The coach’s first two teams each had just one carryover from the previous year. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026 Treadway stands out amongst deep receivers group One of several carryovers from Toledo, Treadway is a 6-foot-3, 193-pound rising sophomore who looked comfortable in every situation and saw a high volume of targets on Saturday. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
To account for that, McClanahan says her clients' financial plans typically include an annual cushion for unexpected expenses — around $5,000 to $15,000 — with unused amounts able to carry over, though those cash-flow assumptions are updated each year. Mike Winters, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026 That presence kind of carries over in the game. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carryover

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1745, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of carryover was in 1745

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carryover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carryover. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

Legal Definition

carryover

noun
car·​ry·​over ˈkar-ē-ˌō-vər How to pronounce carryover (audio)
: the portion of a deduction (as for a net operating loss) or credit which cannot be taken entirely in a given period and which may be deducted from taxable income of a later period compare carryback
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster