holdover

1 of 2

noun

hold·​over ˈhōld-ˌō-vər 

: 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

a

: postpone, defer

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

Synonyms of holdover

Verb

• postpone
• delay
• defer
• put over

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

Noun

Tomlin joined holdovers Taylor, Devin McCourty, Jason Garrett and insider Mike Florio. — Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

There is an urgency, then, that comes with being a holdover trying to find a way back to that level of success after finishing 6-11 last season. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

Verb

Pacific time, It will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which holds over 100,000 spectators. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Whether standing at a store checkout or sitting on hold over the phone, delays contribute to a chronic sense of not having enough time – a condition known as time poverty. — Andrea Hetling, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1893, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1647, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for holdover

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover
• pullover

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 years

—B. N. Cardozo

holdover noun