lapping 1 of 3

noun

as in overlap
a partial covering of one thing by an adjoining member the lapping of the roofing shingles should be several inches in order to avoid leaks

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lapping

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of lap
1
as in washing
to flow along or against the waves gently lapped the sandy shore

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2
as in splashing
to flow in a broken irregular stream the creek lapped along through the ravine before collecting in the pond

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rippling
to move with a splashing motion a stiff breeze that was causing the lake waters to lap against the hull with some force

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lapping

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of lap
1
as in overlapping
to lie over parts of one another the armadillo's plates lap tightly so as to form a protective shield

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2
as in wrapping
to surround or cover closely this recording of the symphony is sure to lap listeners in stereophonic bliss

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lapping
Noun
The Wave percale sheets are guaranteed to lull you to sleep, like you’re being rocked by the gentle lapping of the ocean. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 13 July 2026 From my perch on a sun lounger, Friendship Bay stretches out below me – the curve of the powdery sand beach, the impossible blue of the sea and the calming lapping of the waves against the shore. — Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 5 Feb. 2026 As Amanyara’s resident wellness expert guided me through a sound healing session and harmonized the vibrations of a Tibetan singing bowl, the lapping of the ocean waves seemed to still. — Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026 When the lapping reaches your knees, start to worry. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025 The lapping of the sea at our language is not a difficult concept to fathom. — Adrian Vore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025 So following it up with a powder-soft beach—the lapping of a warm Indian ocean acting as your evening lullaby—is a pretty perfect ending. — Pippa De Bruyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
With just a bit more than a month to go before the primary election on August 18, polls show Byron Donalds lapping the field for the Republican nomination while David Jolly has a solid lead among Democrats. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 12 July 2026 In Houston, some drivers were up to their trailer hitches in lapping waters, while photos from Waco, Texas, showed roadways washed away by the storms. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 15 June 2026 Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm Campground This trail almost entirely follows the coast for 7 miles, with a soundtrack of lapping waves, trilling loons, and the occasional outboard motor. — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026 The windows in the treatment rooms offer floor-to-ceiling views of the lake and the soundtrack of water lapping up against old stone columns. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 The company’s massive collections of individual data and market-lapping algorithms means the company didn’t need to program to tastes, never mind build an audience. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026 Cassie’s OnlyFans journey begins with her making content posing as a dog, replete with dog ears, collar, leash, wrist cuffs, tail, and a satin corset from Sweeney’s lingerie line SYRN, bending over and lapping up water from a bowl on the ground. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 10 May 2026 With azure water lapping sandy beaches, lazy days spent frolicking in Lake Maggiore are a huge draw. — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026 The lapping waves that arrive shortly thereafter are an alarming detour, but their presence quickly feels normal. — Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapping
  1. overlap
  2. washing
  3. splashing
  4. rippling
  5. overlapping
  6. wrapping
  7. bathing
  8. bubbling
Noun
  • In fact, while Grozeva and Valchanov are profoundly grounded in their north Balkan homeland, there’s a lot of sensibility overlap here with the absurdism of the Greek Weird Wave of 2010s.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
  • Chiware points out that symptom overlap can further complicate recognition.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 14 July 2026
Definition of overlap
Verb
  • As the risk of infection continues, Connecticut residents are urged to continue washing all produce in running water, scrubbing firm fruits and, to be safest, cooking produce to 158 degrees.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • Employees also moved from one work station to the next without washing hands and changing gloves.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
Definition of washing
Verb
  • Cool off with a cold shower or by splashing water on your face and hands.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 July 2026
  • Using a tea kettle also reduces the risk of spilling or splashing boiling water on yourself.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026
Definition of splashing
Verb
  • Thus, with gravity the ultimate winner of this cosmic tug of war, the star's core collapses, sending violent shockwaves rippling outward into the outer stellar layers, which are ripped away.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 July 2026
  • She’s seated atop a speaker box with her leotard and legs peeking out from beneath a rippling veil of rich purple.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of rippling
Verb
  • Whether through underlapping runs, overlapping ones, creating chances or popping up with crucial goals, the impact of Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro has been notable when the Spanish have gone forward.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The buzzy summer dating show and the quadrennial global sports tournament both overperformed among the under-30 crowd, according to internal audience data obtained from the streamer, with the audiences for the two events overlapping significantly.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of overlapping
Verb
  • The visual essay below features virtuoso examples of the techniques that designers have used to replicate the ideals of classical dress over the years, including draping, pleating, twisting, and wrapping.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 16 July 2026
  • In the twenty-tens, the mobile-app marketplace began wrapping its prehensile tail around kids’ sports and school activities.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
Definition of wrapping
Verb
  • Then comes another character, Bernard, also young and who, while bathing one day, swims into a girl called Huguette.
    — André Aciman, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • Providing clean water for bathing in sheltered, clean bird baths.
    — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of bathing
Verb
  • The Reflecting Pool turned green and pieces of the liner started bubbling up to the surface after it was painted last month.
    — Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 9 July 2026
  • The tea leaves are placed in bubbling jacuzzis four times over, ridding them of any impurities, albeit minimal given that the farm is organic and so large that there is no pesticide drift from neighboring farms.
    — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of bubbling

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Cite this Entry

“Lapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapping. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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