overlap

verb

over·​lap ˌō-vər-ˈlap 

overlapped; overlapping; overlaps

transitive verb

1

: to extend over or past and cover a part of

The roof shingles overlap each other.

2

: to have something in common with

Baseball season overlaps the football season in September.

intransitive verb

1

: to occupy the same area in part

The two towns overlap.

2

: to have something in common

Some of their duties overlap.

overlap

ˈō-vər-ˌlap 

noun

Synonyms of overlap

• overlie
• lap
• overlay

Examples of overlap in a Sentence

The roof shingles overlap each other.

Baseball season overlaps football season in September.

Some of your duties overlap his.

Recent Examples on the Web

Everyone here almost too respectfully gives one another their turn to speak, the conversation rarely fomenting into argument or overlapping chatter. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2026

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

Many dietary recommendations overlap with long-standing heart-health advice, such as eating more fruits, vegetables and fish. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Juxtapositions of seemingly unlike topics (plants and gender, feral dogs and nuclear weapons) give way to Venn diagrams, with Johnson dwelling in their overlapping middles. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for overlap

• handicap
• thunderclap
• wiretap
• app
• cap
• chap
• clap
• crap
• flap
• frap
• gap
• hap

Kids Definition

overlap

verb

over·​lap ˌō-vər-ˈlap 

1

: to lay or lie over (something) so as to partly cover

that piece overlaps the edge

2

: to have something in common

political and social interests that often overlap

3

: to occupy the same area in part

the photos overlap

overlap

ˈō-vər-ˌlap 

noun