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
Stagecoach had Nickelback on the bill a couple years ago, which points to the overlap these days between butt rock and country music. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 Health tech and wearables have become popular sectors for athletes and sports team owners to invest in, partially due to the clear overlap between their industries. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
When regulations begin to overlap, permitting and building are jeopardized through financial and practical burdens. — Bennett Lawson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 If those three zones overlap on the same stretch of counter, that overlap is your bottleneck, not the room’s size. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 1 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 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
  • The hotel’s unprecedented vantage point envelops guests in panoramic views of Melbourne and the ocean lapping at Port Phillip Bay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of lap
Verb
  • If Western militaries can freely share data, the United States and its allies can overlay agentic AI models across the entire warfighting enterprise.
    — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Spatial interfaces can overlay directions, hazards and contextual information directly onto the environment, reducing the need to constantly look down at a phone and helping people make faster, safer decisions in unfamiliar places.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on overlap

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about overlap

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