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Definition of covernext
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as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only a friend covered for me as a hospital volunteer while my family went on vacation

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as in to shield
to place a protective layer over better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn, not to mention skin cancer

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cover

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noun

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as in lid
a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents where's the cover for the cookie jar?

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as in roof
a raised covering over something for decoration or protection all of the exhibits at the fair are under cover, so the weather won't be a factor

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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 cover
Verb
The post went on to say that funds will cover essential living expenses, bills and support the children’s education. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026 The couple’s insurance company declined to cover sinkhole repairs for similar reasons. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
Advertised as a pillow with a washable cover, the travel accessory comes with a removable insert that can be replaced with a couple of days’ worth of clothes. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026 There's thick ice cover on New Jersey's cranberry bogs as well. Joe Brandt, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cover
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cover
Verb
  • This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.
    Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
  • However, supplements don’t substitute for a balanced diet or work to treat cardiovascular disease, Saba emphasizes.
    Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Sustainable battery design To develop the carbon spheres, Elsaesser and his research team drew inspiration from Mozartkugeln, the iconic Austrian confections made of pistachio, marzipan, and nougat and coated in dark chocolate.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Add cabbage and toss with tongs to coat.
    Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The Justice Department filed the affidavit to a Georgia federal court for release to the public on the order of a federal judge, who instructed government lawyers to make redactions to shield the names of nongovernmental witnesses.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Tech giants have repeatedly relied on Section 230, a federal law that shields them from liability over content that their users post, as a defense against safety claims.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But some consumers and lawmakers are concerned the technology allows stores to suddenly hike prices on certain items during high-demand windows.
    Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • When Reeves’ political future was in doubt last summer, gilt yields spiked as much as 22 basis points in a single day, with market watchers saying at the time that investors were concerned her departure would lead to the government spending and borrowing more.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • To be sure, stable average prices can conceal the reality that some patients face higher expenses while others see lower costs.
    Chris Pope, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Plaintiffs also accuse the companies of failing to warn users about the risks of using their products and of deliberately concealing their dangers.
    Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As for the Dow, the blue-chip index traded in the 900s when Silverblatt began his career, and crossed 50,000 points one week after his retirement.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Being cross with a fish interferes with my zen.
    Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Where that fresh water enters the ocean matters, but researchers have struggled to monitor it at scale.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Feb. 2026
  • After reviewing over 30 years of monitoring data, entomologists at the University of Florida (UF) now say both the Formosan and Asian subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus and Coptotermes gestroi) are expanding their range of destruction.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Ratcliffe’s comments align with the arguments made by Britain’s right-wing populist Reform UK party, which ties its anti-immigrant message to protecting the country.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Medical workers sympathetic to the uprising, meanwhile, have also changed the names and injuries listed on some patients’ medical charts, to protect their identities from authorities.
    Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cover.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cover. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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