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

This is because many of the common symptoms overlap with those of other health conditions. —Peter Pressman, Verywell Health, 9 Dec. 2025

People talk over music, clattering plates, and dozens of overlapping conversations in crowded rooms. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Dec. 2025

Marcus Johnson was a second-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and overlapped with Silverfield — then an offensive quality control coach — in 2008. —Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 8 Dec. 2025

The dizzying pace and overlapping story lines add to the show’s real-time immersiveness. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025

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