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overlies

verb

present tense third-person singular of overlie
1
as in overlaps
to lie over parts of one another the puzzle pieces overlay one another in complete disarray on the floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in coats
to form a layer over there will be freezing rain tonight, so we can expect to find a thick layer of ice overlying the car windshield in the morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlies
  1. overlaps
  2. coats
  3. covers
Verb
  • Its distribution in the lower Mississippi River valley overlaps with that of the central rat snake.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Under the bills, a community college could offer a bachelor’s degree that overlaps with a nearby CSU program if that CSU program has been hard to get into for years.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlaps
Verb
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 40 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Toss with pasta; if necessary, add remaining pasta water to create a light sauce that coats pasta.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of coats
Verb
  • The current ordering period covers missions through December 2032.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Deborah Haynes covers serious stuff, like foreign affairs, national security and defense — the sorts of topics that might not make good fodder for a snarky newsletter or a hot-talk podcast.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of covers
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.

Browse Nearby Words

overlie
overlies
overload
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Cite this Entry

“Overlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlies. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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