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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
2
as in splashing
to flow in a broken irregular stream
the creek lapped along through the ravine before collecting in the pond
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in overlapping
to lie over parts of one another
the armadillo's plates lap tightly so as to form a protective shield
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in wrapping
to surround or cover closely
this recording of the symphony is sure to lap listeners in stereophonic bliss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lapping
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
Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The sugar-white sand slopes into the bright blue waters, where swimmers relax in the gently lapping surf.
—Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
That much was obvious at this stage of free agency, a frenzied sprint the Patriots often treated as the start of a marathon in the Belichick era before lapping the competition when the games started thanks in part to value signings.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
There was no one to scold me for lapping up the mixture like a cat to milk.
—Via Chronicle Books, Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Flames were lapping from the home when firefighters arrived, a spokesperson said on social media.
—Kendrick Calfee
february 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2026
In winter, the frothy surf turns to soft, lapping waves and camels lumber down the mountain for a dip.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
The Kohala Coast is living proof that nature is medicine, from the birdsong to the Tradewinds rustling the coconut palms to the deep blue-green waters of the Pacific lapping the shoreline.
—Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
And consumers are lapping it up.
—Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
And nothing compares to waking up beside Alice Lake, where sunrise casts the 9,899-foot El Capitan in pale honey light—an image almost perfectly mirrored in gently lapping water below.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The sugar-white sand slopes into the bright blue waters, where swimmers relax in the gently lapping surf.
—Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
That much was obvious at this stage of free agency, a frenzied sprint the Patriots often treated as the start of a marathon in the Belichick era before lapping the competition when the games started thanks in part to value signings.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
There was no one to scold me for lapping up the mixture like a cat to milk.
—Via Chronicle Books, Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Flames were lapping from the home when firefighters arrived, a spokesperson said on social media.
—Kendrick Calfee
february 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2026
In winter, the frothy surf turns to soft, lapping waves and camels lumber down the mountain for a dip.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
The Kohala Coast is living proof that nature is medicine, from the birdsong to the Tradewinds rustling the coconut palms to the deep blue-green waters of the Pacific lapping the shoreline.
—Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
And consumers are lapping it up.
—Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapping
overlap
Noun
-
There’s an overlap with Ralph’s stock, but Food 4 Less might also carry more of Kroger’s more affordable line, Smart Way.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Mercedes's midsize luxury car earned the institute's highest grades for its crashworthiness categories, including small overlap front crashes, moderate overlap front crashes and side crashes.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapping. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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