overlap
verb
over·lap
ˌō-vər-ˈlap 
overlapped; overlapping; overlaps
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.
1
: to occupy the same area in part
The two towns overlap.
2
: to have something in common
Some of their duties overlap.
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
Social and physical pain share overlapping circuitry in the brain, and a large-scale meta-analysis identified the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex as the region most reliably activated by social rejection, the same region most associated with the experience of pain itself.
—
Juliette Han,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
Turkey tail grows on dead logs and tree stumps in overlapping layers that resemble a wild bird’s plumage.
—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
Bartlett’s character is like a rock slab, a vestige of an ancient religion, brought to life in overlapping strips of muslin, linen, and leather in shades of dove, cream, gray, and pale blue, with his hood pulled tight around his face and his hands wrapped in mittens.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
These overlapping demands show why immigration decisions, such as the TPS ruling, can affect Haitian women’s mental and physical health far beyond their legal status.
—
Ammcise Apply,
The Conversation,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overlap
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Juliette Han,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
Turkey tail grows on dead logs and tree stumps in overlapping layers that resemble a wild bird’s plumage.
—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
Bartlett’s character is like a rock slab, a vestige of an ancient religion, brought to life in overlapping strips of muslin, linen, and leather in shades of dove, cream, gray, and pale blue, with his hood pulled tight around his face and his hands wrapped in mittens.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
These overlapping demands show why immigration decisions, such as the TPS ruling, can affect Haitian women’s mental and physical health far beyond their legal status.
—
Ammcise Apply,
The Conversation,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overlap
Cite this Entry
“Overlap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overlap. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overlap
verb
over·lap
ˌō-vər-ˈlap
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
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