Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

Thesaurus

cover

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of cover

1 a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents
  • Where's the cover for the cookie jar?
Synonyms of cover

cap, lid, top
Words Related to cover

dome, hood, roof

capsule, case, casing, covering, housing, jacket, sheath, shell
2 means or method of defending
  • provided cover while their comrades ran for safety
Synonyms of cover

aegis (also egis), ammunition, armor, buckler, defense, guard, protection, safeguard, screen, security, shield, wall, ward
Words Related to cover

arm, armament, munitions, weapon, weaponry

fastness, fort, fortress, palisade, stronghold
Near Antonyms of cover

aggression, assault, attack, offense (or offence), offensive
3 something that encloses another thing especially to protect it
  • put the restaurant menus in clear plastic covers so that they would last longer
Synonyms of cover

armor, capsule, case, casing, cocoon, covering, encasement, housing, hull, husk, jacket, pod, sheath, shell
Words Related to cover

cartridge, cassette (also casette)

bark, crust

carapace, house, mail, panoply, plate, plating, shield

cuticle, hide, skin

envelope, package, wrapper

backing, coating, coverture, facing
4 a raised covering over something for decoration or protection
  • All of the exhibits at the fair are under cover, so the weather won't be a factor.
Synonyms of cover

awning, canopy, ceiling, roof, tent
Words Related to cover

dome, marquee, pavilion

arbor, bower, pergola

screen, shade, shelter, shield, sunshade, umbrella

canvas (also canvass), fly
5 something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
  • Under cover of darkness, they escaped.
Synonyms of cover

blanket, cloak, cope, cover-up, covering, curtain, hood, mantle, mask, pall, robe, shroud, veil, wraps
Words Related to cover

blind, concealer, screen, shield

fig leaf, Trojan horse

camouflage, disguise, facade (also façade), face, mask, veneer

gloss, varnish

cover

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of cover

1 to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
  • A friend covered for me as a hospital volunteer while my family went on vacation.
Synonyms of cover

fill in, pinch-hit, stand in, step in, sub, substitute, take over
Words Related to cover

understudy

relieve, spell

double (as)
2 to form a layer over
  • By morning a foot of snow covered the ground.
Synonyms of cover

blanket, carpet, coat, overlay, overlie, overspread, sheet
Words Related to cover

enclose (also inclose), enrobe, enshroud, enswathe, envelop, enwrap, mantle, shawl, shroud, swathe, wrap

cloak, clothe, curtain, veil

circle, encircle, encompass
3 to place a protective layer over
  • Better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn.
Synonyms of cover

screen, shield
Words Related to cover

cloak, clothe, veil

drape, pall

canopy, cap, crown

disguise, mask, obscure
Near Antonyms of cover

bare, expose, uncover
4 to have (something) as a subject matter
  • This section of the book covers kitchen makeovers for the enterprising do-it-yourselfer.
Synonyms of cover

concern, deal (with), pertain (to), treat (of)
Words Related to cover

appertain (to), bear (on or upon), refer (to), relate (to)

advert (to), allude (to), cite, glance (upon), instance, mention, name, note, notice, quote, specify, touch (upon)

offer, present

contain, embrace, encompass, entail, include, incorporate
Phrases Synonymous with cover

have to do with
Near Antonyms of cover

exclude, omit

disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slight, slur (over)

brush (aside or off), reject, shrug off
5 to keep secret or shut off from view
  • covered the foxhole with grass and leaves
Synonyms of cover

belie, blanket, blot out, cloak, conceal, curtain, disguise, enshroud, hide, mask, obscure, occult, paper over, screen, shroud, suppress, veil
Words Related to cover

bury, camouflage, cover (up), smother

gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash

becloud, bedim, befog, block, cloud, darken, eclipse, obstruct, occlude, overcast, overshadow, shade
Near Antonyms of cover

bring out, present

clarify, illuminate

advertise, air, broadcast, get out, proclaim, publicize, publish, spread
Antonyms of cover

bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil
6 to make one's way through, across, or over
  • We usually manage to cover a lot of ground in a single day.
Synonyms of cover

course, cross, cut (across), follow, go, navigate, pass (over), perambulate, peregrinate, proceed (along), track, transit, travel, traverse
Words Related to cover

hike, traipse, tramp, tread, walk

ride, run

crisscross
7 to pay continued close attention to (something) for a particular purpose
  • I'll cover the reception desk while you take a break.
Synonyms of cover

monitor, watch
Words Related to cover

surveil

eye

behold, espy, look, note, notice, observe, regard, see, sight, spy, view, witness

gape, gawk, gaze, glare, goggle, peer, rubberneck, stare

glance, glimpse, peek, peep
Phrases Synonymous with cover

keep an eye on
8 to drive danger or attack away from
  • covered the wounded soldier until he could be rescued from the downed chopper
Synonyms of cover

bulwark, defend, fence, fend, forfend, guard, keep, protect, safeguard, screen, secure, shield, ward
Words Related to cover

avert, prevent

oppose, resist, withstand

battle, contend, fight, war

conserve, preserve, save
Phrases Synonymous with cover

stand up for
Near Antonyms of cover

bombard, storm

beset, besiege, overrun

capitulate, cave, submit, yield
Antonyms of cover

assail, assault, attack

Learn More about cover

  1. Dictionary: Definition of cover Spanish Central: Translation of cover Nglish: Translation of cover for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cover for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up cover? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games