overlap

verb

over·​lap ˌō-vər-ˈlap How to pronounce overlap (audio)
overlapped; overlapping; overlaps

transitive verb

1
: to extend over or past and cover a part of
The roof shingles overlap each other.
2
: to have something in common with
Baseball season overlaps the football season in September.

intransitive verb

1
: to occupy the same area in part
The two towns overlap.
2
: to have something in common
Some of their duties overlap.
overlap noun

Examples of overlap in a Sentence

The roof shingles overlap each other. Baseball season overlaps football season in September. Some of your duties overlap his.
Recent Examples on the Web Interestingly, the timing neatly overlaps with when interest rates skyrocketed in response to high inflation, which drove down deal-making across other industries. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 20 Apr. 2024 Our sense of self often overlaps and is measured by our output. Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024 The brothers played football for the school and shared the field for two years while their educations overlapped. Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 13 Apr. 2024 There's even a part of eastern Illinois south of Chicago where both broods could overlap. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024 So, there's an interesting Kardashian overlap with Simpson there. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024 These two broods may actually overlap – but probably not interbreed – in a small area near central Illinois, entomologists said. Seth Borenstein, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2024 An expert level of craftsmanship was required to build and install the sleekly curvilinear wooden cabinetry, and some imagination was required to conceive and construct a pair of overlapping circular islands that are bisected by a frameless wall of glass. Mark David, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024 Companies that are looking for a competitive edge have already optimized within individual job functions; the next place to look for cost savings or opportunities for more impactful spending is in areas where two functions overlap. Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overlap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overlap was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near overlap

Cite this Entry

“Overlap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overlap. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

overlap

verb
over·​lap ˌō-vər-ˈlap How to pronounce overlap (audio)
1
: to lay or lie over (something) so as to partly cover
that piece overlaps the edge
2
: to have something in common
political and social interests that often overlap
3
: to occupy the same area in part
the photos overlap
overlap noun

More from Merriam-Webster on overlap

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