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
Noun
That puts it in a close race with holdover Speak No Evil for a 10th-place finish (rival studios show the latter prevailing). Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024 The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess has come within one rung of the Billboard 200’s throne on multiple occasions, but each time, she’s been beaten by one exciting new launch or a holdover winner. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
The 49ers lost to Kansas City in both the 2019 and 2023 editions of the NFL’s title game, and on Sunday, Andy Reid’s hold over Shanahan continued as the Chiefs once again beat San Francisco. Ben Morse, CNN, 23 Oct. 2024 Post separation, management expects the retail stores to likely provide a stability to CVS on the back of its extensive physical network, holding over 60% of the US retail clinic market. Joe Cornell, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for holdover 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holdover.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near holdover

Cite this Entry

“Holdover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdover. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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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