1
as in to coat
to form a layer over
you should apply a coat of primer first, and then overlay it with two coats of paint
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to overlap
to lie over parts of one another
cedar shingles overlaying one another on the roof
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overlay
The Quantum Internet will not replace the classical Internet but augment it, overlaying quantum signals with classical bits.
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Mallik Tatipamula, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2025
Goldman is recommending adding downside hedges such as S & P 500 options overlays with drawdown probabilities at current levels.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
EagleEye’s heads-up display (HUD) overlays digital information directly onto the operator’s real-world view.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
Another prominent shoe style was a platform knee-high boot which overlaid a lace-up shaft onto a base that looked like a towering pump, with a cut out leaving an open space in the back.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlay
Verb
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Sports Equipment While the dishwasher isn't ideal for cleaning baseball caps, uniforms, or equipment heavily-coated with mud, a trip through a dishwasher cycle is ideal to remove bacteria and odors from mouth guards and hard plastic shin guards.—
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The outer layer of the capsule is made from gelatin coated with a layer of cellulose and either molybdenum or tungsten, which blocks any RF signal from being emitted.—
Verb
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The symptoms that social media users are describing might overlap with seasonal affective disorder, depersonalization or the long-term effects of past trauma, Fisher said.—
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The overlapping relationships between the three, heightened by external narratives in the press and online, fester in isolation, eventually exploding into tragedy.—
Verb
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On April 16, a week after that panicked text message from Banfield, Wynn floated another proposal to the bank, this time asking if the school could get a line of credit to cover expenses through the summer.—
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The lush gardens are spread across about a dozen acres and feature a mix of styles, including a traditional Valencian space with Moorish influences, sprawling greenhouses, and pergolas covered in swaths of roses.—
Verb
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Reroll the dough sheets away from you into cylinders and loosely pinch them closed.—
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Save your time and check out the most popular coffee makers, electric toothbrushes, and sheets our readers are loving, just in time for gift-giving season.—
Cite this Entry
“Overlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlay. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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