overlap 1 of 2

as in lapping
a partial covering of one thing by an adjoining member the orthodontist will try to fix that overlap of two of your upper incisors

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overlap

2 of 2

verb

as in to overlie
to lie over parts of one another the brochures on the display table should overlap but not so much that the titles are obscured

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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 overlap
Verb
Flamengo’s right-winger then passes it to Wallace and overlaps the forward to provide a passing option… … before the duo combine to cut through Chelsea’s defence and make it 3-1. Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 21 June 2025 The bilateral defense cooperation comes against the backdrop of tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping sovereignty claims by countries such as Vietnam and China, as well as the strong presence of the Chinese coast guard, continue to heighten friction in the region. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025 The performances, part of the American Modern Opera Company’s summer residency at Lincoln Center (the Run AMOC Festival), are not quite simultaneous or alternating but instead overlap, with a harpsichord providing the silvery thread between the disparate styles. Justin Davidson, Vulture, 20 June 2025 Another former assistant, Jonathan Perez, told jurors last Friday that his tenure with Combs overlapped with Paul. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for overlap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlap
Verb
  • This finding indicates that the ecosystem was no longer being sustained by the nutrients from the hydrothermal system being released into the overlying ocean.
    David Bressan, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Mantle plumes are convectional upwellings of hot material from the deep mantle that can cause localized melting and deformations to the overlying crust.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The average viewer’s mind will outright reject it — so, of course, the cartoonishly evil VIPs lap it up.
    Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 28 June 2025
  • Bathers can cool off in some of the lower pools, where lapping waves keep the temperatures mild (at high tide, some even become completely submerged), or walk down the beach for a salty cold plunge into the Atlantic Ocean.
    Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • The racing sequences are good, sometimes even great, with footage shot during actual Grands Prix and overlaid with chatter from coverage commentators to explain the strategies and positions of the Apex drivers during each of their nine remaining races.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 June 2025
  • With multiple frequency bands, researchers can overlay data in different colors to reveal more detailed structures around a black hole.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 19 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overlap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlap. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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