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 challenges our previous assumption that plague spillover was a side effect of people taking up farming and settling in permanent villages and towns, living closer to each other and to an assortment of animals (and their fleas). —ArsTechnica, 18 June 2026

What about those who have endured the war’s spillover in Lebanon? —Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 18 June 2026

And just one block down, fans posed for photos outside 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, the production company of Knicks superfan Spike Lee, which sits next to Fancy Free, a sports bar with a spillover crowd. —Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 14 June 2026

The report touted positive results for the 405 electric cars and trucks the county has purchased, with more than $300,000 in savings on fuel, maintenance and the spillover cost of greenhouse gas and pollution emissions on health and the environment. —Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 13 June 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