Synonyms of overlay

overlay

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈlā 

1

as in to coat

to form a layer over

you should apply a coat of primer first, and then overlay it with two coats of paint

Synonyms & Similar Words

• coat
• cover
• sheet
• blanket
• carpet
• overlie
• wrap
• overspread
• envelop
• veil
• curtain
• circle
• encircle
• enclose
• mantle
• cloak
• shroud
• shawl
• swathe
• enshroud
• encompass
• clothe
• enrobe
• enswathe
• enwrap

2

as in to overlap

to lie over parts of one another

cedar shingles overlaying one another on the roof

Synonyms & Similar Words

• overlap
• overlie
• overspread
• lap
• shingle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of overlay

Text is entered by a user and overlaid within hundreds of moving dots in a short video animation. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 July 2026

But many forests overlay valuable minerals and parcels can be leased by private companies for the extraction of nonrenewable resources such as oil, gas and coal. — ABC News, 13 July 2026

These tools can even be overlaid on the interview screen itself, claiming to appear invisible and undetectable. — IEEE Spectrum, 13 July 2026

After the meeting, fire officials welcome questions one-on-one in front of large maps of the region, overlaid by the rumpled edges of the fire. — Sarah Matusek, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026