overlap 1 of 2

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

Relevance

overlap

2 of 2

verb

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
This new third-cuff overlap design—which Salomon is calling ExoDrive—is meant to improve heel retention and optimize energy transfer to the ski. Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 27 Jan. 2026 While Mennonites tend to accept modernity more than the Amish do, there's a significant overlap in beliefs and practices. Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Such a deprecation of Fitbit’s flagships lines was predictable, given their audiences overlap with that of the Pixel Watch family. Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 About a third of Californians live in what’s called the wildland-urban-interface, where human settlements overlap with wildlife habitat like forests, mountain foothills or desert open space, Crowfoot said. Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overlap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlap
Noun
  • As Amanyara’s resident wellness expert guided me through a sound healing session and harmonized the vibrations of a Tibetan singing bowl, the lapping of the ocean waves seemed to still.
    Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
  • When the lapping reaches your knees, start to worry.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • But clever techniques can work around this limitation, including adaptive optics, which rapidly reshapes a mirror in the telescope to counter the motion of overlying air.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 27 Nov. 2025
  • Sample collection lasted about three to four years just for Cretaceous rocks, while another four to five were spent on the overlying rock that shows when mammals lived at the site after the dinosaurs went extinct.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Standing up from the couch several times, marching in place during TV breaks or walking laps around your living space can gently raise your heart rate, according to Mount Sinai Health System.
    Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • While the Palisades Fire lapped at the edge of UCLA, the Eaton Fire, on the east side of town, came dangerously close to Caltech.
    Katharine Gammon, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Almost like a strata, this satisfying casserole features dense multigrain bread on the bottom, overlaid with chicken, aromatic vegetables, Parmesan cheese, and cream sauce.
    Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Trying to tap the ice sheet, which covers 80 percent of Greenland, for minerals is unappealing, given that all the necessary supplies would need to be brought inland by helicopter and there are kilometers of ice overlaying parts of the rock.
    Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overlap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlap. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on overlap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!