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

Depending on the state, parents may also gain coverage through Medicaid expansion, which past research has shown to generate positive spillover effects by increasing Medicaid enrollment for their children who were already eligible. —Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

Extensive layoffs would shift the losses from a temporary delay to a more permanent loss of income and human capital, reducing aggregate demand and potentially increasing unemployment spillovers into the private sector. —John W. Diamond, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025

We’re hung up on the issue of what was the source of COVID-19—a lab leak or a spillover? —Alice Park, Time, 29 Sep. 2025

The push for safe injection sites comes on the heels of a packed City Council hearing on how Mass and Cass spillover is taxing neighborhoods earlier this month. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025

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