covers 1 of 2

Definition of coversnext
present tense third-person singular of cover
1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
6
7
8

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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
5
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

6

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 total misuse of COVID funds in the district, which covers the Charlotte metro area, includes tens of millions, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. Chase Jordan january 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Jan. 2026 Inside the manor house, a rustic spread including cornetti, orange cakes, apricot pastries, homemade granola, and local cheese covers an enormous industrial-style table. Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026 Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA TODAY. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026 Euronews states applicants also need to show proof of health insurance that covers them in Bulgaria and is valid throughout the Schengen Zone. Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026 Emiliano Tahui Gómez covers Latinos in Austin for the Statesman, including immigration, displacement and culture. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 10 Jan. 2026 Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026 In Space This Week in Space covers the new space age. Space.com Staff, Space.com, 10 Jan. 2026 Winter covers the park in stark whites, and snow may limit access, but the silence and solitude are unforgettable if you’re bundled up. Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
The extended campaign of covers to commemorate her debut album’s anniversary suggests that new music is probably not immediately at hand. Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026 This is the first in a series of covers that will lead up to the anniversary of Sour in June, a press release notes. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026 Coker recommends using floating row covers to protect spinach from unexpected frosts. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026 Style your living room with new throw pillow covers and blankets, design a relaxing bedroom with natural cotton sheets, set the table with stoneware plates, or make your kitchen even more functional with premium baking dishes and wooden utensils. Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026 Toss your throw blankets and pillow covers in the wash. Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 7 Jan. 2026 And, that was all before ending the year on the covers of Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour. Essence, 7 Jan. 2026 Best Bedding and Bath Deals This weekend, shoppers will find hundreds of deals in the bed-and-bath categories, including duvet covers, reversible quilts, blackout curtains, bath mats, towels, and so much more. Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025 Meanwhile, Mavis’ covers of songwriters who could be her grandchildren (indie rocker Kevin Morby, Frank Ocean), is a nod to her recent role as patron saint of for several younger generations. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covers
Verb
  • Target’s four-person meal costs less than $20, about the same as in 2024, but substitutes green beans and cream of mushroom soup for French bread and frozen corn — also not an apples-to-apples comparison.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Dressing made with lemon, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce coats a blend of rice and red beans.
    Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The polish’s wide brush coats the entire nail bed in one swipe, leaving glossy, streak-free, and opaque color.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This clarity shields your tender core.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
  • The situation is also likely to test existing laws, like Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online providers from liability for content created by users.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Set in a perpetually sunny, idealized England vaguely between the wars, The Code of the Woosters concerns the misadventures of man-about-town Bertie Wooster (stupid, amiable, rich) and his impeccably helpful valet Jeeves.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
  • The availability of credit from alternative consumer lenders that don’t offer the statutory protections mandated for credit cards concerns consumer advocates.
    Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Scientists have long theorized that the icy crust above the ocean conceals evidence of organic compounds and energy sources – the ingredients to life.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Bedsure Twin Heated Blanket With a fleece top and faux shearling backing, the blanket’s thick fabric conceals the wires, giving it the feel of a cozy throw rather than a typical heated blanket.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The world’s highest waterfall cable climb traverses 1,476 vertical feet and offers three levels of challenge (Level 3 is worth it just for the helicopter ride back to the base from the top).
    Jen Murphy, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Hailey Bieber Bieber’s style traverses the ultra-trendy and the timeless.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • The department also offers free alerts through its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which monitors and provides notifications throughout a traveler’s international journey and allows the government to more easily contact travelers in an emergency.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Four seats are available on the nine-member Climate and Resiliency Commission, which monitors the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to implement the Climate Action Plan.
    Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined in a federal whistleblower investigation that Balkan Express LLC violated the Surface Transportation Assistance Act, which protects commercial motor vehicle safety complaints, according to the release.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Regular sweeping protects floors by removing gritty debris that can scratch and damage finishes.
    Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Covers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covers. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on covers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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