1
as in to stack
to form or arrange parts or pieces of something on top of each other; to form or arrange (something) in layers
The next step in the recipe is to layer the pasta and the sauce in the pan. We layered the fruit with whipped cream and served it with cookies.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 layer
Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
After several seasons of clean denim, Alves described breaks on the first layer of garments, exposing the underlying weave without fully tearing through.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
The renovation remains closely aligned with the home’s original character, preserving its architectural integrity while layering in thoughtful updates.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layer
Noun
Atkins adds a defensive layer alongside Ogwumike for a team that was dead last in the WNBA in defensive points per game last season, and that’s one of those intentional, win-now kind of moves that has everyone in the organization excited.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
After several seasons of clean denim, Alves described breaks on the first layer of garments, exposing the underlying weave without fully tearing through.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
In practice, however, AI tools are being layered onto existing workflows rather than replacing them wholesale.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
The renovation remains closely aligned with the home’s original character, preserving its architectural integrity while layering in thoughtful updates.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layer
Noun
-
Stunning photos taken by the crew were released on Tuesday, April 7, one day after their loop around the moon, showing spectacular views and a solar eclipse in space.—
Mark Osborne,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Apollo 13's unplanned lunar loop sent it 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) from Earth, farther than any humans had ever gone before.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These mushrooms are often grown in full sunlight or under UV lamps, which help increase their vitamin D levels.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The incident reportedly involved a magnesium fire — an intense and highly dangerous blaze that cannot be extinguished with water — that stemmed from an apparent malfunction in oxygen sensor equipment, allowing oxygen levels to rise.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Agnes sits in a dark room where Commander Judd asks her questions as a bunch of men watch, their faces stacked on a big screen, like Hollywood Squares but hellish.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Iowa designer Scott Johnson alternately stacked two sizes of circular pavers to create a sculptural plant stand for a cheerful yellow container.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
So why do real grasshopper wings have corrugations?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Fluting and corrugation have also been added to the plate for longitudinal stiffness, and better traction comes via a Pwrtrac rubber outsole.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
5 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The program operates under a tier system—Silver (0-24,999 points), Gold (25,000-49,999 points), and Titanium (50,000+ points)—with benefits dependent on number of points earned per year.—
Jessica Sulima,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Anthropic, experiencing a compute crunch, has capped the number of tokens users can consume on some pricing tiers during peak hours of the day.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The characters are antiques dressed as human beings, and their traumas pile up without consequence.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
But three people jumped on the hood of a police car, breaking its windshield, before piling into a black Nissan with no license plates and zooming north on 69th St.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The poor choice of font did not upset me, nor, indeed, did the quality of the paper, which was not unlike single-ply toilet roll.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The next best thing is slipping into this 4-ply cashmere shawl-collar cardigan, made in Scotland for the Armoury, which is like a blanket with sleeves and buttons.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The exhibition begins by presenting three different layers, which are sort of presented as a stratum.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The taco features a stratum of smoke and heat, with the octopus piled onto a fresh corn tortilla with purple onions pickled Yucatan-style with citrus.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Layer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layer. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
