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 former ensures that the university covers the full tuition and fees for first-year, Pell-eligible students from Illinois. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 Another covers regulated detection devices that only flag possible hypertension. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026 QuickBooks Free covers those basic bookkeeping needs while giving business owners a path to more advanced tools through QuickBooks Online as their needs evolve. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 The Second Judicial Circuit covers Leon, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Wakulla and Jefferson counties in the Florida Panhandle. — News Service Of Florida, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026 The study covers India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026 This annual guarantee, sourced from the general fund and local property taxes, covers main operations. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Fine art photographer Oliver Wasow, who lives in Rhinebeck, New York, uses books in his research and has made books, as well as shooting book covers. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 The classification covers incidents involving aircraft destruction, fatalities, or qualifying damage exceeding $2 million. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
The brand shifted from its familiar table of contents-style covers to full-bleed photography in 1998. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026 Which includes going as far as using a different ring on album covers. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026 The company says the tests have generated critical data for the missile’s development, including its ability to launch from the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), deploy protective covers, and engage targets during flight. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026 Besides the several covers of ‘90s-era pop music classics by the likes of INXS and Tina Turner, composer Nathan Matthew David has contributed an original soundtrack incorporating traditional Filipino and Indigenous instruments. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2026 Roach has styled six covers for the new issue, each linked to a shoppable edit that breaks down the cover look into a complete outfit at Asos price points. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2026 His albums included 2011’s collection of covers of British ’80s acts including Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears, while his final studio album, Claptrap, arrived in 2022 with an ambient electronic soundscape. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 18 Sep. 2026 Amazon Kindle Colorsoft The Colorsoft features a 7-inch color display that makes book covers, illustrations and highlights pop. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026 In the ’60s, Max started an art studio with his friend Tom Daly, specializing in covers for books and albums. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 Sep. 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
  • Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid a little at a time as needed, until sauce lightly coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
    — Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Gradually whisk in chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The injunction shields members who use pronouns or names assigned at birth when referring to transgender people.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • At the federal level, attempts have been made to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which shields firearm makers and dealers from civil liability.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There is precedent for this, though precedent might not be the right word given it concerns future events.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Meta glasses become hearing aids The more unexpected announcement concerns Meta’s non-VR glasses.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The three-word message conceals the depth of a man worthy of dissection.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The snail’s diminutive size, however, conceals a massive secret.
    — Carrie Arnold Contributing, Quanta Magazine, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This fourth full-length from the London jazz quintet traverses Black diasporic sound traditions — grime, reggae, Afrobeat — mulling over the question of how music so joyous can be rooted in histories of pain.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Reliever optimizes availability After taking his head out of the cold tub, Blubaugh traverses the bowels of Daikin Park.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Yigal Carmon, a conservative retired colonel in Israeli military intelligence and the founder of MEMRI, a research center that monitors media across the Muslim world, had spent years insisting that Qatar was a sponsor of terrorism.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Ensuring your baby’s water temperature is always perfect is a breeze with the color-changing plug that monitors the temperature at all times.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The security model that protects your people is a great foundation for your security model for agents.
    — Sumit Dhawan, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • French officials and many educators say secularism in public schools and other institutions protects less observant and nonreligious people from pressure while leaving everyone free to worship in private.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covers. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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