holdover

1 of 2

noun

hold·​over ˈhōld-ˌō-vər How to pronounce holdover (audio)
: one that is held over

hold over

2 of 2

verb

held over; holding over; holds over

intransitive verb

: to continue (as in office) for a prolonged period

transitive verb

1
b
: to retain in a condition or position from an earlier period
2
: to prolong the engagement of
the film was held over another week

Examples of holdover in a Sentence

Noun He is the only holdover from their last championship team. This policy is a holdover from the previous administration. Verb the golf tournament had to be held over until the line of thunderstorms had passed through
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
Barbara Byrne, former vice chairman of British investment bank Barclays PLC, is the lone holdover from the old board and will sit as an independent director. Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025 That part of our system is really a holdover from the days when branch banking was prohibited, but that hasn’t been the case since the 1990s. Norbert Michel, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
And amid market downturns, investors who had planned to buy and hold over the long term may panic and sell to avoid further losses. Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2025 Foreign funds and governments hold over 30% of US Treasuries outstanding. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for holdover

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1893, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1647, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of holdover was in 1647

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holdover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdover. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

hold over

verb
: to continue beyond a normal or planned time
the movie was held over for three weeks
holdover
ˈhōl-ˌdō-vər
noun

Legal Definition

hold over

intransitive verb
: to remain in a position or condition
one who holds over in possession of a building after the expiration of a term of yearsB. N. Cardozo
holdover noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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