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
  • 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
  • Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations, breaking news for USA TODAY.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Angela George covers trending news for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
    — Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 3 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlies. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of loath

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

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

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
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
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All