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
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2
as in to overlap
to lie over parts of one another
cedar shingles overlaying one another on the roof
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overlay
Another prominent shoe style was a platform knee-high boot which overlaid a lace-up shaft onto a base that looked like a towering pump, with a cut out leaving an open space in the back.
—
Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
Podlesí is notorious for its boring atmosphere, overlaying everything like a thick blanket.
—Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
The pins appear to march through the entire valley, overlaying each other and clustering at the locations of ranches and farms.
—Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The sound department actually played the music that would overlay the scene as Dockery acted.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlay
Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
Podlesí is notorious for its boring atmosphere, overlaying everything like a thick blanket.
—Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
The pins appear to march through the entire valley, overlaying each other and clustering at the locations of ranches and farms.
—Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The sound department actually played the music that would overlay the scene as Dockery acted.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlay
Verb
-
Your glass tabletops, windows, and mirrors may look worse after cleaning them thanks to the dull film coating their surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Dip the apple into the liquid candy and rotate it to coat evenly.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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These overlapping vulnerabilities show why water governance is such a key issue for security, diplomacy and development.—
Pintu Kumar Mahla,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The single artwork features an image of Duff overlapped three times, with the title written in pink.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The $155,000 figure was within a range covered by insurance, and FBI investigators found that no individual donor funds were diverted before they were deposited into the Bright Futures Fund, Johnston wrote.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Place dough sheet on floured surface, and spread out using your hands to a 16x8-inch rectangle.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The skies opened into sheeting rain as the minister gave his greeting; this was followed by thunder and an explosion of lightning.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlay. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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