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

The estate was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s and remains a unique holdover from Hawaiʻi’s early 20th-century building era. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2026

Or without fellow championship holdovers like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard excelling in their supporting roles. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026

Verb

The consternation about Iran, after all, stems from its hold over global oil and energy supplies. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026

The financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore even recently reported that one in 12 Milan residents holds over $1 million in liquid assets, placing Milan among the highest concentrations of wealth in the world. —Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 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