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

Relevance
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
  • To Lose Their Citizenship Abraham noted during a Q&A at NYFF that much of the film overlaps with previous reporting and that atrocities in Gaza have been documented for years.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The NHL‘s regular season starts with five games, which overlaps with the start of MLB’s playoffs that same day.
    — Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlaps
Verb
  • The plush, balm-meets-mask formula coats lips in a comforting layer that keeps moisture from escaping overnight, with hyaluronic acid, minerals, and antioxidant-rich Berry Mix Complex helping soften dry, flaky skin.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid a little at a time as needed, until sauce lightly coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
    — Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of coats
Verb
  • This guide to skincare for mature skin covers what can change, what the popular anti-aging ingredients can do, and how a skin care routine can be structured.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The decree’s divestiture language covers Paramount’s ownership stake.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 1 Oct. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlies. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of etiquette

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All