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

Instead, they have been reduced to tools of conflict meant to speedily manage escalation, contain risk, limit spillover, and restore short-term stability—a version of kicking the can down the road. —Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 May 2026

Tribal businesses often lead to significant spillover effects benefiting even non-tribal citizens, and while national-level data of their economic impact is scarce, state-level examples are illuminating. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 May 2026

Raina Plowright, a Cornell University professor who studies zoonotic spillover, told USA TODAY there’s a broader concern that pathogens, under the right circumstances, can infect humans at scale. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 9 May 2026

Hong Kong ran its widest trade deficit in at least 74 years as imports surged, a likely spillover from the disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East and a global investment boom in artificial intelligence that’s driving demand for tech products. —Nectar Gan, Bloomberg, 29 Apr. 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