overlap
verb
over·lap ˌō-vər-ˈlap 
overlapped; overlapping; overlaps
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.
1
: to occupy the same area in part
The two towns overlap.
2
: to have something in common
Some of their duties overlap.
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
His time at City overlapped with that of the west London club’s co-director of recruitment and talent, Joe Shields, who worked for the Etihad Stadium side from 2013 to 2022. —
Cerys Jones, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 Specifically, nacre is composed of hexagonal crystals of aragonite, a kind of calcium carbonate that is also seen in limestone and that forms precisely into overlapping layers that resemble the brick-and-mortar structure of buildings. —Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026 Those overlapping requirements have forced difficult trade-offs. —James Laporta, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 Those lines have started to overlap. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overlap
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.
Cerys Jones, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 Specifically, nacre is composed of hexagonal crystals of aragonite, a kind of calcium carbonate that is also seen in limestone and that forms precisely into overlapping layers that resemble the brick-and-mortar structure of buildings. —Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026 Those overlapping requirements have forced difficult trade-offs. —James Laporta, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 Those lines have started to overlap. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overlap
Cite this Entry
“Overlap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/overlap. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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