as in stacking
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.
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Recent Examples of layering
This piece helps any ensemble look more polished and is great for layering under oversized linen shirts or light sweaters on cooler days.
—
Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026
Sweeney and Braun showcased their team spirit in Knicks gear, with the actress layering a graphic T-shirt underneath a blue-and-orange windbreaker.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 24 June 2026
The music is an electric revitalization of the original Cats soundtrack, layering the traditional musical-theater pop with synths and house beats.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026
Instead of layering bots and AI over existing workflows for short-term efficiency, foundation-first organizations address root causes and design for adaptability.
—Rajesh Gharpure, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Consider layering a tablecloth and a compatible runner on your table, Ervin suggests.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026
In its ongoing efforts to refine and finetune its total look proposition to cater to modern men’s needs, Lardini unveiled a concise lineup suitable for layering and mixing and matching.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Instead of one bottle of barbecue sauce doing all the work, cooks are layering flavors, building a dish with a marinade here, a rub there, a fresh herb sauce to finish.
—Ascend Agency, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2026
The trifle is prepared by layering these ingredients in a glass bowl, creating a visually impressive dessert.
—Kathryn Streeter, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026
Sweeney and Braun showcased their team spirit in Knicks gear, with the actress layering a graphic T-shirt underneath a blue-and-orange windbreaker.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 24 June 2026
The music is an electric revitalization of the original Cats soundtrack, layering the traditional musical-theater pop with synths and house beats.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026
Instead of layering bots and AI over existing workflows for short-term efficiency, foundation-first organizations address root causes and design for adaptability.
—Rajesh Gharpure, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Consider layering a tablecloth and a compatible runner on your table, Ervin suggests.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026
In its ongoing efforts to refine and finetune its total look proposition to cater to modern men’s needs, Lardini unveiled a concise lineup suitable for layering and mixing and matching.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Instead of one bottle of barbecue sauce doing all the work, cooks are layering flavors, building a dish with a marinade here, a rub there, a fresh herb sauce to finish.
—Ascend Agency, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2026
The trifle is prepared by layering these ingredients in a glass bowl, creating a visually impressive dessert.
—Kathryn Streeter, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layering
Verb
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With the intention of permanently moving the orbiter Discovery to California, the Air Force designed SLC-6 differently from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, most notably by stacking the vehicle directly on the pad rather than in a more distant assembly building.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
17 June 2026
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For a more complex arrangement, try stacking dwarf azaleas in front of taller mountain laurels and select plants with coordinating flower colors.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Now, however, a perfect storm has brewed in global markets, with Google-parent Alphabet losing two key AI scientists and worries piling up about the high costs required for AI to expand.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
-
Its use in Medicare risks introducing friction and frustration into the program — and piling costs onto its beneficiaries.—
Darius Tahir,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Layering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layering. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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