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
The results are somewhat ambiguous as to how much ice may lurk unseen beneath layers of overlying ice-sparse material.
—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
18 Mar. 2026
But first, in order to access the SMAS, surgeons have to peel back the overlying skin.
—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
As Taylor Glacier slides downstream, the overlying ice mass compresses the subglacial channels, building up tremendous pressure.
—
Simone Valesini,
Wired News,
24 Feb. 2026
These pulses, the team says, are closely tied to overlying tectonic plates and play a key role in the slow rifting of the African continent.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlie
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
18 Mar. 2026
But first, in order to access the SMAS, surgeons have to peel back the overlying skin.
—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
As Taylor Glacier slides downstream, the overlying ice mass compresses the subglacial channels, building up tremendous pressure.
—
Simone Valesini,
Wired News,
24 Feb. 2026
These pulses, the team says, are closely tied to overlying tectonic plates and play a key role in the slow rifting of the African continent.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlie
Verb
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That means defining how and when to see the lights themselves, and how our aurora season overlaps with the polar bears and belugas.
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That nine year window overlaps almost exactly with the stretch when treatment offers the most protection for brain health, so the delay carries real cost.
Verb
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But the real pleasure is the 303 basslines that squirm in between the drums, coating the soundscapes of the tracks in grime and noxious soot.
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Morning mist coated the nearby Rhone River that snakes through the Alpine valley as worshippers flocked in.
Verb
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Witnesses expressed shock over the incident, with one man arriving to his Walmart to shop and finding the parking lot covered in crime scene tape.
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The technology has drawn public controversy since Detroit first signed a contract covering certain police precincts in 2020, and again in late 2022.
Cite this Entry
“Overlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlie. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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