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overspill

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noun over·spill \ˈō-vər-ˌspil\

Definition of overspill

  1. 1 :  the act or an instance of spilling over

  2. 2 chiefly British :  the movement of excess urban population into less crowded areas

See overspill defined for English-language learners

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Examples of overspill in a Sentence

  1. an overspill into nearby towns

  2. a new town built to absorb London's overspill

Recent Examples of overspill from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overspill'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of overspill

1884

OVERSPILL Defined for English Language Learners

overspill

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noun

Definition of overspill for English Language Learners

  • : the movement of people from crowded cities to less crowded areas

Learn More about overspill

  1. See words that rhyme with overspill

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Examples: overspill in a Sentence