overlap 1 of 2

noun

Definition of overlapnext
as in lapping
a partial covering of one thing by an adjoining member the orthodontist will try to fix that overlap of two of your upper incisors

Synonyms & Similar Words

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overlap

2 of 2

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈlap How to pronounce overlap (audio)
as in to overlie
to lie over parts of one another the brochures on the display table should overlap but not so much that the titles are obscured

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of overlap
Noun
What all three films have in common, aside from various intersections and overlaps in their stories, is their repositioning of tech billionaires as the new screen villains. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 However, without that overlap, a Kelvin wave’s presence will mostly go unnoticed, except to scientists monitoring ocean conditions. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
Pierson has served as district attorney for 19 years, overlapping with much of Leikauf’s law enforcement career. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Chair44 can infinitely tile a three-dimensional space by covering it without gaps or overlapping shapes. — Rachel Crowell, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overlap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlap
  1. lapping
  2. overlie
  3. lap
  4. overlay
Noun
  • Keep going down to the little beach, where two paddleboards and a handful of beach loungers (the good kind, made of fabric and with a footrest) sit at the gentle lapping edge of the sound.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Wave percale sheets are guaranteed to lull you to sleep, like you’re being rocked by the gentle lapping of the ocean.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 13 July 2026
Definition of lapping
Verb
  • Any longer may damage your overlying skin and even give you frostbite.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • The local agricultural cooperative now struggles given the absence of irrigated agriculture in that area overlying the Ogallala.
    — Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026
Definition of overlie
Verb
  • The stretch of track along the San Clemente shoreline has long offered picturesque views of sandy beaches and lapping ocean waves for passengers traveling between Los Angeles and San Diego.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The medieval abbey of Normandy’s Mont Saint-Michel, a tidal island only accessible at certain times each day, stretched from the lapping waves as though reaching for Heaven.
    — Ellen O’Connell Whittet, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of lap
Verb
  • The transformation program can then overlay and challenge that roadmap.
    — Simon Wells, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The glass facade overlaying the building’s front, designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill in 1992, was renovated as well.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of overlay

Browse Nearby Words

overlain
overlap
overlapped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overlap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlap. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on overlap

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about overlap

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