overlap

verb

over·​lap ˌō-vər-ˈlap 

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

ˈō-vər-ˌlap 

noun

Synonyms of overlap

• overlie
• lap
• overlay

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

The show is leaning into its strengths, dialing up the madcap comedy and overlapping dialogue while keeping the story lines rooted in recognizable rites of passage for young people. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Our districts overlapped in western Fairfax County, and among other benefits, jointly led town hall meetings made efficient use of our constituents’ time. — Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026

Yet these sectors are placing overlapping claims on the same forests and finite land, putting cumulative pressure on an increasingly fragile resource base. — Kari Stoever, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026

Early last season, Unrivaled faced schedule overlaps with major sporting events including the Olympics and the College Football Playoff. — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for overlap

• handicap
• thunderclap
• wiretap
• app
• cap
• chap
• clap
• crap
• flap
• frap
• gap
• hap

Kids 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

overlap

ˈō-vər-ˌlap 

noun