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

The duo tested for regional spillover effects (i.e. assessing if a ban in one city led to an increase in bag litter in neighboring communities, which might happen if people were driven to shop outside of bag ban zones). —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 19 June 2025

The change in oil prices will have spillover effects in other asset classes. —Jesse Pound, CNBC, 13 June 2025

But what comes next for Lebanon and Hezbollah depends on many factors, not least the state of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and any spillover into Lebanon. —Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 15 May 2025

The dearth of cargo flowing into West Coast ports as businesses cancelled shipments out of China has a direct spillover to the trucking industry, as drivers will be picking up fewer loads and making fewer deliveries. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 8 May 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