Synonyms of overlay

overlay

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈlā 

1

as in to coat

to form a layer over

you should apply a coat of primer first, and then overlay it with two coats of paint

Synonyms & Similar Words

• coat
• cover
• sheet
• blanket
• carpet
• overlie
• wrap
• overspread
• envelop
• veil
• curtain
• circle
• encircle
• enclose
• mantle
• cloak
• shroud
• shawl
• swathe
• enshroud
• encompass
• clothe
• enrobe
• enswathe
• enwrap

2

as in to overlap

to lie over parts of one another

cedar shingles overlaying one another on the roof

Synonyms & Similar Words

• overlap
• overlie
• overspread
• lap
• shingle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of overlay

Some $12 million would be directed to high-impact paving in which the city overlays asphalt onto streets to extend their life. — Alison Dirr, jsonline.com, 20 Sep. 2026

Forms of slave knowledge, overlaid on Indigenous ones, were influential in treating dysentery and elaborating antidotes for poisonings. — Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

The opening credits of the film, featuring newsreel footage of military parades overlaid with glitchy effects and harsh techno music, appear to nod at some equating of the America of today with the authoritarian governments of the past. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2026

The 45-acre recreational facility, which opened in 2004, boasts eight softball fields overlaid with seven soccer fields, batting cages and two playgrounds. — Claire Wang, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026