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
One issue, Denker said, is the 220-plus manhole covers on the race circuit that had to be welded to ensure the race cars don't suck them off the road. ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Jelly and the other goats were focused on the Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species, that covers the hillside. Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 The approval covers two of the most vulnerable populations for flu—adults aged 50 to 65 and adults aged 65 and up—on the condition that Moderna will run a further clinical trial in the older group. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026 Their conversation covers how pain serves an evolutionary purpose, how researchers measure pain and pleasure in the lab despite the absence of any objective biomarker, and how touch functions as a social and emotional signal, not just a sensory one. Quanta Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026 Reporter Nora Mabie covers Indigenous affairs for the Montana Free Press and says families leading the way in searches is quite common. Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026 The path of totality — in which the moon completely covers the sun — begins over the Arctic Ocean, before crossing eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The Shelby County air permit for the first Colossus site covers 15 turbines and 247 megawatts and expires in January 2027. Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Cole is a judge for the state’s 16th Chancery District, which covers George, Greene, and Jackson counties. Margaret Baker, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
Noun
Just look at the sleeve of XXXXX, the latest in her Giger-esque series of covers featuring cyborg-like beings, where her body is attached to what looks like some kind of tank or ship. Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026 Check containers, pots, buckets, toys, plastic covers and other items in and around your home to make sure there’s no standing water too. Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 Not all of the lessons in the Walker Deibel playbook fit between its covers. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 Remove the covers as soon as the smoke levels begin to improve. Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026 Once the covers are back on the cushions and fully dry, Madigan recommends applying Scotchgard. Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026 There are maps, masks, hourglasses, furry books with eyes in their covers and, of course, wands – rows and rows of them. Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Families can find items like book covers for only $1, pencil bags, cases, composition, other notebooks at 40% off; binders at 50% off; and Takeya USA water bottles at 50% off. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 My Morning Jacket has released several records since then, including the 2025 LP Is, and the LP that came out last May, Peacelands, which contains a mix of acoustic covers and original protest songs. Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covers
Verb
  • This approach substitutes information for sensation, and reduces both human and supra-human experiences to the level of data.
    Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
  • So Tuchel, who always substitutes his wingers after roughly an hour, decided to withdraw Gordon and bring on an extra defender, Ezri Konsa.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • Add the fresh corn, okra, and diced tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes break down into a sauce that coats the tender vegetables.
    Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The Mediterranean sun, at its apex, burns as white as the signature paint that coats most Mykonian homes.
    Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Bert shields Stuart from Wil’s deadly fireball, which leads to a magic fight to the death between the two that destroys most of the comic book shop and ends with Wil’s demise.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The same can be said about Capricorn, since the sea god has tough armor that shields them from individuals who don’t hold their best interests.
    Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The incident highlighted in the declassified materials, however, concerns the security of voter registration information rather than ballots or vote tabulation.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The bank says the dispute concerns a contract and an anti-money-laundering review.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Throughout the Gospels, Jesus initially conceals his identity as the Messiah from even his closest disciples.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • And to maintain the appearance of a conventional hardtail, the chassis uses Harley's Softail platform, which conveniently conceals the rear suspension.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • In your periphery to the left, a spacewalker traverses the exterior of the station.
    Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 26 July 2026
  • The Golden State might be a West Coast utopia, but then Californians live on a fault line that traverses most of it.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • Councilwoman Deborah Peoples wanted to ensure the Economic Development Department, which monitors the program, is properly funded as more businesses enter the program.
    Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers at John Burns Research & Consulting, however, monitors foreign activity through anecdotal commentary and observations in sales offices.
    Diana Olick, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Health information collected by wearables and consumer apps does not fall under HIPAA, the federal law that protects records held by hospitals, doctors and insurers.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
  • Consistently high-quality sleep protects a leader’s judgment, temperament, and emotional regulation.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covers. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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