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

That’s because trying to cope with the blockade would lead to dangerous spillover effects. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

Following a historic effort to prop up the yen and prevent economic spillover, Japanese and American leaders vowed to intervene further if needed. — Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026

This innovation also creates revolutionary spillover effects across energy, transportation, and medicine. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Fauci has asserted that the scientific evidence points to a spillover — whereby the virus would have found its way from an animal into its first human host, and then spread at that point from human to human. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 27 July 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