carry forward

British  

verb

1. accounting to transfer (a balance) to the next page, column, etc

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): carry over.  tax accounting to apply (a legally permitted credit, esp an operating loss) to the taxable income of following years to ease the overall tax burden

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noun

1. Also called: carry-over.  tax accounting an amount carried forward

carry forward Idioms  

1. Also, carry over . Transfer a bookkeeping entry to the next column, page, another account, or the next accounting period, as in Let's carry forward this loss to the next quarter for a saving in taxes , or She made an error in carrying over this column . The first term dates from the first half of the 1800s; the variant dates from the mid-1700s.

2. Make progress in, advance, as in His successor hoped to carry forward his work . Also see carry on .

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Example Sentences

Another multiyear situation to manage is any losses that can carry forward, like rental losses or capital losses.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

"We want to carry forward a process of normalisation with Azerbaijan," the source said, adding: "Among the disagreements between our two countries is the fate of Martin Ryan."

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

The BLS’s choice to carry forward previous shelter costs was in line with longstanding contingency plans for missing data, the agency said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

And that seems to be what those behind Sundance most want to uphold and carry forward: a commitment to providing a spotlight for new voices.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

This was the message we needed to carry forward.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• carry over