laps 1 of 3

Definition of lapsnext
plural of lap
as in legs
a portion of a trip we were on the last lap of the journey, eagerly heading for home

Synonyms & Similar Words

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laps

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of lap
1
as in washes
to flow along or against the waves gently lapped the sandy shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in ripples
to move with a splashing motion a stiff breeze that was causing the lake waters to lap against the hull with some force

Synonyms & Similar Words

laps

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of lap

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 laps
Noun
Guthrie is forced to drop out after 27 laps with mechanical problems. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026 Even racing legend Mario Andretti took laps at Sonoma during the invitational. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026 On May 10 the man who lived for speed — and possessed an otherworldly ability to control his car while roaring around a racetrack at more than 200 mph — radioed his crew during the final laps of New York’s Watkins Glen International, requesting that a doctor meet him on his bus. Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026 Brack led 66 laps in 1999, Rosenqvist 25 laps on May 24 and Ericsson 13 laps in 2022. Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Daniel Suarez won because NASCAR called the race due to rain with 27 laps to go. Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026 Busch dominated the October 2016 Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 from the pole for the third straight year, leading 150 of 200 laps for his 85th career Xfinity Series win. Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026 Roosli adds that people who sit and use laptops right on their laps for 40 hours per week often start having aches and pains. Matt Fuchs, Time, 20 May 2026 Larson retired from the race with 60 laps remaining because of a power steering failure. ABC News, 17 May 2026
Verb
But three laps before the end, a conrod failure destroyed his engine. Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026 Is that why McLaren couldn’t/didn’t tell the drivers to pit at the end of one of the various formation laps? Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 27 May 2026 Brack led 66 laps in 1999, Rosenqvist 25 laps on May 24 and Ericsson 13 laps in 2022. Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Drivers got in some practice laps Saturday during a break in the wet weather, but more rain is in the forecast for Sunday, which could make NASCAR’s longest race of the season even longer. Steve Reed, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026 Activities like big-game fishing, snorkeling with manta rays in nearby Hanifaru Bay, cooking classes, sunrise yoga, and afternoon massages are just some of the options available to guests in between dips in the ocean and laps in the pool. Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026 Hammond High didn’t have a track, so afternoon workouts were done at a track at a nearby junior high or laps around a 3/4-mile loop at Maywood Park. Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026 As the presidential election of 2008 kicks into gear and a wave of gentrification laps the neighborhood, Alicia grapples with ambivalence about her future direction, an out-of-town boyfriend, and the allure of a diva on the rise. Hamilton Cain, Time, 4 Apr. 2026 The sparkling Colorado River now laps at the Glen Canyon walls about 180 feet below, completely invisible from a dock that once floated atop the water. Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laps
Noun
  • Bears may stand on their hind legs or approach to get a better view, but these actions are not necessarily signs of aggression.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 May 2026
  • She was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans, including a deployment to Afghanistan after having one of her legs amputated below the knee following a stateside car crash.
    Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Beaches are routinely left covered in trash that washes into the ocean, degrading habitat and threatening marine animals through ingestion and entanglement.
    Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
  • Rain typically washes pollen out of the air.
    Keerti Gopal, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • The shark splashes behind Carlos Guana after taking a bite of his camera.
    Tom Wait, CBS News, 26 May 2026
  • Based on Every Summer After, the best-selling book by Carley Fortune, the series splashes onto the streamer June 10 with all episodes.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • If one part slows down, the impact ripples across the entire chain.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
  • The feature, starring Birgit Minichmayr, Lotte Keiling, Tristan López, and Carla Hüttermann, follows a family on summer holiday that are struck by a tragedy that ripples through their lives and relationships.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Recognizing that student cell phone use overlaps with multiple areas (including instruction, student well-being, safety and communication), the district sought to better understand how these priorities are perceived across the educational partner groups, according to a staff report.
    Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
  • Chagyrskaya 64 has a second cavity, which overlaps a groove in the side of the tooth that looks like trademark evidence of picking.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • The deck wraps around the home to offer unobstructed lake views, and includes outdoor dining for six, along with kayaks and paddleboards for exploring the water.
    Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 20 May 2026
  • Welcome to a Friday Nightcaps — the one where Jena Sims wraps herself in a bow as Brooks Koepka attempts to stay in contention at the PGA Championship.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • This mode activates extra horsepower, up to 94 bhp (70 kW), adds fake exhaust noise and bathes the interior in purple light.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Natural light bathes the empty third floor which could be an office space or residential units boasting sweeping views of Sacramento’s downtown, according to a request for proposals released by the city.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The hydrogen literally bubbles out of the rock over hundreds of millions of years.
    Paul Sutter, Space.com, 24 May 2026
  • Spots for leisure are in no way hard to find; SEA is a stone's throw away from waterfront lounges like Kingfisher, which bubbles with live music, seafood, and a lively clientele, as well as new Italian spot Forno and art space Sachs Gallery.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Laps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laps. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

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