spillover

noun

spill·​over ˈspil-ˌō-vər How to pronounce spillover (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These spillover effects are deepening an arc of instability stretching from Europe to the Middle East, from Africa to Asia. Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026 And the spillover has pushed another million people out of work, the Iranian publication Etemad Online has estimated. Tim Lister, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 The program is intended to prioritize parking for residents living within each zone and reduce spillover from nearby commercial or high-density areas. Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 This contributed to Silicon Valley’s culture of rapid job‑hopping, knowledge spillovers, and cross‑firm collaboration. Morris M. Kleiner, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spillover

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spillover was in 1940

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Cite this Entry

“Spillover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spillover. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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