spillover

noun

spill·​over ˈspil-ˌō-vər 

often attributive

1

: the act or an instance of spilling over

2

: a quantity that spills over

3

: an extension of something especially when an excess exists

benefiting from a spillover of prosperity from neighboring states

Examples of spillover in a Sentence

Put a pan under the pie to catch any spillovers.

New technology has a positive spillover effect into countless fields.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond direct factory jobs, Brown said the spillover benefit of Prysmian’s latest investment will benefit local small businesses, restaurants and retailers. — Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026

Corporate security firms may increasingly feel free to offer cyber surveillance or disruptive operations to private clients under the banner of self-protection, creating a dangerous spillover of quasi-sovereign power into purely commercial hands. — David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced that NATO fighter jets shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace, at a time when the alliance is increasingly on edge over spillover from the Russia-Ukraine war. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 Sep. 2026

This process, known as zoonotic spillover, can occur when humans come into direct contact with wildlife or domestic animals or intermediate animal hosts that carry the pathogen. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for spillover

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