leftover

1 of 2

noun

left·​over ˈleft-ˌō-vər How to pronounce leftover (audio)
1
: something that remains unused or unconsumed
especially : leftover food served at a later meal
usually used in plural
2
: an anachronistic survival : vestige

leftover

2 of 2

adjective

: not consumed or used
leftover food
leftover space

Example Sentences

Noun Are we having leftovers again? The law is a leftover from earlier times.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Instead, Adidas will sell the leftover Yeezy stock and give the proceeds to charity. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 11 May 2023 Let cool and keep any leftovers in a sealed glass jar in your fridge for up to a month. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 5 May 2023 She was also bothered by the expense and waste of the leftover ingredients. Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, 2 May 2023 Those leftovers are then bundled up and sewn into seat cushions—perhaps the most intriguing object in the presentation. ELLE Decor, 28 Apr. 2023 Thiessen has had plenty of practice reimagining leftovers in fun ways — especially for her husband, actor and artist Brady Smith. Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023 The website goes on to suggest waiting 10 minutes, then scraping with a plastic putty knife and mopping to remove the leftover padding. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023 Of course, leftover buzz from one of 2022’s biggest moments, when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith (Smith’s wife,) could help propel ratings even higher, as people want to witness similar moments that go viral on social media. Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023 Baked Potato Soup Got some leftover potatoes lying around? Blaine Callahan, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2023
Adjective
To her husband’s surprise, Turner takes off with Dimoldenberg, leaving him with their leftover chicken and fries. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2023 This quaint 195-square-foot structure was built in 1915 using leftover materials from the construction of Fayetteville's nearby school building. Gabi De La Rosa, Chron, 17 May 2023 Atelier Jolie will only use leftover garments, quality vintage material and deadstock (a.k.a. surplus) fabrics. Zizi Strater, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023 Webb telescope captures glowing starburst as galaxies collide Stars form from gas and dust, and then a ring of leftover material called a protoplanetary disk orbits the star, where planets are born. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 8 May 2023 The brand even finds ways to use scraps of material, such as using leftover fabric from ottomans as upholstery for stools. Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 16 May 2023 Often, the most sustainable red carpet materials already exist: unused, leftover or remnant fabrics and fixtures. Fawnia Soo Hoo, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 May 2023 Distilled alcohol doesn’t usually cause an allergic reaction, Sicherer added, but the cream in liquors or leftover proteins in beer could be a trigger. Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 8 May 2023 But as the family gathered, the facilities were still burning off chemical emissions, sending clouds of leftover toxics toward their two-bedroom home, hitting them on some days with distinct and worrisome smells — and leaving Mr. López concerned about the health of their children. Eric Lipton, New York Times, 5 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leftover.' 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

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leftover was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near leftover

Cite this Entry

“Leftover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leftover. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

leftover

noun
left·​over
ˈlef-ˌtō-vər
: something remaining
especially : food left over from one meal and served at another
usually used in plural
leftover adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on leftover

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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