Carryover vs. Carry Over
“Carryover” is a noun for something retained or continuing from an earlier period. “Carry over” is a phrasal verb for moving, postponing, or allowing something to continue into a later time or situation.
Use “carryover” as a noun and “carry over” as a verb.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| noun naming something transferred or continuing from an earlier period | carryover | use the one-word noun |
| verb meaning transfer or continue into another period/context | carry over | use the two-word verb |
Quick tests
Word-class test
Can you put an article or adjective before the expression, as in “a small carryover”?
If yes: Use the noun “carryover.”
If no: If it performs the action and can become “carried over,” use the verb “carry over.”
Caveat: Check grammatical role rather than choosing by visual preference.
Examples
The budget includes a small carryover from last year.
The expression is a noun.
Unused credits will carry over to next month.
The expression is a verb.
The remaining balance was carried over.
The inflected verb remains two words.
Further guidance
Context Boundary
In accounting and other specialist contexts, “carryover” can have narrower technical senses while keeping the same noun boundary.
Core difference
The closed form names the retained item or effect; the open form expresses the action or continuation.
Fast Test
Use “carry over” when the phrase can be conjugated: “carried over,” “carrying over.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Carryover — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Carryover as a noun
- Carry something over — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Carry over as a phrasal verb