cover 1 of 2

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as in to substitute
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

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as in to shield
to place a protective layer over better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn, not to mention skin cancer

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cover

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noun

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as in lid
a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents where's the cover for the cookie jar?

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as in roof
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cover
Verb
Lionsgate typically covers two-thirds of its production budgets with international sales, which helps offset underperforming theatrical titles. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 June 2025 On a recent cold, rainy day, as thick fog covered the horizon, geologist Rick Wooten climbed up to the site of an enormous landslide that tore part of the mountain down to the bedrock and killed 11 people from one family. Laura Sullivan, NPR, 8 June 2025
Noun
The plan is for every vehicle coming off the line to be the same to reduce complexity, before adding any additional features or different covers/tops. Michael Wayland, CNBC, 7 June 2025 In February 1963, the photographer Don Hunstein took the picture of Bob Dylan and Suze Rotolo walking arm-in-arm down Jones Street that would become the cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. John Ortved, Curbed, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for cover
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cover
Verb
  • Here are the best ones: Ultra-Short-Term ETFs: 9 Best Buys These funds hold short-term bonds and bills and can substitute for a money-market fund.
    William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • The best summer wreaths are a warm-weather update on traditionally festive decor, substituting holly and pine for colorful flowers and lush greenery.
    Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Scherzinger’s face was contoured and coated in a warm bronzer to match the shimmery sunset shadow on her eyes.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 June 2025
  • Hold cake square over bowl of glaze and, using a small ladle or a serving spoon, ladle glaze all over cake square, making sure to coat all sides.
    Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • The dining area, living room, and study all spill out to terraces shielded by deep overhangs and a minimalist pergola.
    Mark David, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
  • Despite criminal convictions, successive Republican and Democratic administrations have shielded them from deportation since the war's end decades ago.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • The incident was reported Friday at 9:17 a.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Friday at 9:20 a.m.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025
  • Reports of unrest outside the city, including in Paramount, are deeply concerning.
    Jack Moore, ABC News, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • On December 27, 1908, Boy Staunton (a literal boy, double-underlining Davies’s interest in archetypes) throws a snowball with a stone concealed in it at his friend Duncan.
    Casey Cep, New Yorker, 6 June 2025
  • Millions of low-cost devices for media streaming, in-vehicle entertainment, and video projection are infected with malware that turns consumer networks into platforms for distributing malware, concealing nefarious communications, and performing other illicit activities, the FBI has warned.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The war has driven about 13 million people from their homes, including over 4 million who crossed into neighboring countries.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
  • Interest on the debt just crossed $1 trillion annually — more than the U.S. spends on defense, Medicaid, disability insurance, and food stamps combined.
    Don Muir, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Scripps scientist Charles David Keeling, Ralph Keeling's father, began monitoring CO2 concentrations there in 1958.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 6 June 2025
  • Here are some trends to monitor during the early portion of the month as the Cardinals aim to keep afloat.
    Katie Woo, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The Marines are tasked with protecting federal facilities and personnel, according to a statement from U.S. Northern Command, and will operate under Task Force 51—a contingency unit created to coordinate military support for domestic emergencies.
    Nik Popli, Time, 11 June 2025
  • Here’s a thought: Several big-time football schools have abandoned open spring football games, which used to be a sizable event attracting fans and alums to campus, to protect players from being scouted and poached in the transfer portal.
    Russell Dinkins, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cover.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cover. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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