1
as in to overlap
to lie over parts of one another
the puzzle pieces overlay one another in complete disarray on the floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to coat
to form a layer over
there will be freezing rain tonight, so we can expect to find a thick layer of ice overlying the car windshield in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overlie
As a result, the top few inches of soil or rock heat up rapidly over the course of a day, and in turn warm the overlying air.
—
Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024
Then Lewis and her colleagues work to develop solutions to preserve the caves without hindering construction, such as rerouting utilities around subterranean cavities or installing manholes in overlying sidewalks to maintain access.
—Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2024
The cameras pierced the artist’s overlying brushstrokes to reveal a sketch of an elegant and mysterious man wearing a bow tie and three rings and holding his chin.
—Fabio Pacucci, Scientific American, 27 June 2024
Our list of reasonable diagnoses was expanding and contracting, replaced with irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerances, gut motility issues, all overlying a stressed individual barely keeping it together.
—Eric Snoey, Twin Cities, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for overlie 
Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024
Then Lewis and her colleagues work to develop solutions to preserve the caves without hindering construction, such as rerouting utilities around subterranean cavities or installing manholes in overlying sidewalks to maintain access.
—Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2024
The cameras pierced the artist’s overlying brushstrokes to reveal a sketch of an elegant and mysterious man wearing a bow tie and three rings and holding his chin.
—Fabio Pacucci, Scientific American, 27 June 2024
Our list of reasonable diagnoses was expanding and contracting, replaced with irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerances, gut motility issues, all overlying a stressed individual barely keeping it together.
—Eric Snoey, Twin Cities, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for overlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlie
Verb
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Their personalities, stories and overlapping narratives produce their own gravitational pull, meaning the crux of women’s football’s (still vigorously) pulsing tribalism is not as simple as being from that part of the country, nor are the lines as black and white.—
Megan Feringa,
The Athletic,
3 Feb. 2025
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Mecklenburg County paid almost $11,000 to send a county commissioner and staff member to Germany for an economic development trip that overlapped with a Carolina Panthers game in Munich.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The same color, but at a 50 percent saturation, also coats the house's exterior.—
Katelyn Squiers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Jan. 2025
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Pennies used to be made entirely of copper but the government switched to producing pennies that were 98 percent zinc and just coated in copper after the coins began disappearing when Americans began hoarding them to be repurposed as copper washers.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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More than 10,000 people have bought the face covering on Amazon this month, earning it the spot of top best-seller.—
Rylee Johnston,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Jan. 2025
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Officials at the National Weather Service (NWS) have raised the alarm by issuing a series of warnings that cover areas across three states: California, Nevada, and Alaska.—
Joel Thayer,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near overlie
Cite this Entry
“Overlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlie. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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