holdover

1 of 2

noun

hold·​over ˈhōld-ˌō-vər How to pronounce holdover (audio)
: one that is held over

hold over

2 of 2

verb

held over; holding over; holds over

intransitive verb

: to continue (as in office) for a prolonged period

transitive verb

1
b
: to retain in a condition or position from an earlier period
2
: to prolong the engagement of
the film was held over another week

Examples of holdover in a Sentence

Noun He is the only holdover from their last championship team. This policy is a holdover from the previous administration. Verb the golf tournament had to be held over until the line of thunderstorms had passed through
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.
Noun
Last weekend, One of Them Days opened to $11.6 million — again impressive considering its $14 million budget, but the overall picture was held diminishing returns for holdovers like Moana 2, Sonic 3, Nosferatu, and Mufasa. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 26 Jan. 2025 The menu for this holdover from the Golden Age of Aviation is devoted to jazzed up variations on the classics (the Mile High Margarita as well as the Paper Plane are two standouts). Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
Chutkan went on to highlight the judiciary’s work in holding over 1,000 rioters accountable, emphasizing that the historical record of these cases must remain unaltered as a testament and warning. Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Jan. 2025 Over the decade, his popularity soared—by 1986, he was featured in 40 articles, held over 50 solo exhibitions during his lifetime, and completed more than 50 public artworks. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for holdover 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1893, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1647, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of holdover was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near holdover

Cite this Entry

“Holdover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdover. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

hold over

verb
: to continue beyond a normal or planned time
the movie was held over for three weeks
holdover
ˈhōl-ˌdō-vər
noun

Legal Definition

hold over

intransitive verb
: to remain in a position or condition
one who holds over in possession of a building after the expiration of a term of yearsB. N. Cardozo
holdover noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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