covers 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of cover
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as in substitutes
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 shields
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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covers

2 of 2

noun

plural of cover
1
as in lids
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 canopies
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 covers
Verb
The verdict, handed down last Friday, covers claims brought by the family of Kealon Gilmore, who was killed, and wounded survivors including Jazmin Anderson, who was shot in the head, according to the statement. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026 Christopher Lowe, the shark lab’s director, is searching for funding, whether from foundations, private donors or corporations, for the shark safety program, which covers 500 miles of coastline from Morro Bay to the Mexican border. Kori McNair, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 Plus, purchase protection covers a new item against damage or theft. Ryley Amond, CNBC, 16 July 2026 The largest of the debris aprons covers 50 square miles (130 square kilometers), which would be large enough to bury a small city or a large town. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 July 2026 So, with a podcast that covers so many topics, what does the pair think people need to calm down about? Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 July 2026 That alert covers the urban corridor from Douglas County to Larimer and Weld counties, including the Denver and Boulder areas. Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 12 July 2026 Don't go into a basement, or any room, if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026 The panel covers historical context, logistics, and the economic impact of filming in San Diego. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Noun
On March 14, 2026, the house reopened to the public with all the project scaffolding and enclosure covers removed. Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2026 Between a book’s covers is a unique kind of participatory adventure that is excellent exercise for our brains. Jen Benka, Time, 14 July 2026 Inspections every six weeks Airport inspections conducted in July, August and October last year also repeatedly documented concerns about floor drain covers. Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026 Laura followed him, curled her body gently into his on top of the covers, lying there as all the streetlamps came on outside. Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; drain any water that collects on pool covers. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 Rush evolved from an underage covers act into an original band by woodshedding on school campuses around Toronto during its formative 1968-1974 era. Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026 The set comes with a pair of Cliq earplugs, three sets of compatible covers, five sizes of silicone ear tips, and an aluminum earplug case. Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026 Variety is celebrating the 2026 Emmy nominees who have appeared on the magazine’s covers, participated in Actors on Actors and the Awards Circuit Podcast. Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covers
Verb
  • Spain substitutes Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino capitalised on Portugal’s first real lapse in concentration to score a dramatic stoppage-time winner, but this was a dull watch.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • Another way to say this is that, in place of the extensive self-announcements Plato allows his characters, Rochester substitutes his own summary judgements, his sarcastic imitations.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • The Earth has four major layers, and the two outermost make up a thin surface that coats the planet.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
  • Mold still coats the walls along with holes in the ceiling.
    Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act shields these companies from legal responsibility for such content.
    Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Malware protection shields your devices from harmful sites, and automatic updates keep your defenses current.
    StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Bradač’s proof concerns off-diagonal Ramsey numbers, which allow for large differences between the size of a clique and the size of an independent set.
    Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 15 July 2026
  • Lyndsy Fonseca, rapper Russ, Tom Cavanagh, Hunter King, Joseph Lee Anderson and Rob Riggle star in the indie film, which concerns a group of campers who run into a nasty, giant, prehistoric spider.
    William Earl, Variety, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Advertisement Best of all is Deutch’s Gail, whose sunbeam demeanor barely conceals her flirty, mischievous side.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026
  • This style helps to prevent moisture loss and conceals your ends to avoid breakage.
    Aleah Wright, InStyle, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • The Art Loeb Trail traverses a few significant peaks and balds over the 6,000-foot mark and should not be overlooked.
    Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • Like Orton’s prior work, The Ground Above traverses some tricky emotional terrain.
    David Harris, SPIN, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The company is starting with a small number of markets chosen in collaboration with its partner, AppliedXL, a tech firm that monitors and predicts study outcomes.
    Ed Silverman, STAT, 16 July 2026
  • Eco effort The hotel monitors its energy consumption and carbon footprint, recycles, and tries to use local products.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Habeas corpus is a basic legal principle that protects people from being unlawfully detained and the petition allows immigrants like Wilber to challenge the legality of their detention.
    Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Streamline a tricky task with a co-worker, update an invoice, or create a cleaner process that protects your time and self-respect.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covers. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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