cover 1 of 2

Definition of covernext
1
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only a friend covered for me as a hospital volunteer while my family went on vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in to shield
to place a protective layer over better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn, not to mention skin cancer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
6
7
8

cover

2 of 2

noun

1
as in lid
a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents where's the cover for the cookie jar?

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
5
as in roof
a raised covering over something for decoration or protection all of the exhibits at the fair are under cover, so the weather won't be a factor

Synonyms & Similar Words

6

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cover
Verb
Abigail Williams Abigail Williams is a producer and reporter for NBC News covering the State Department. Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 4 June 2026 Relievers Drew Pomeranz, Ryan Zeferjahn and Kirby Yates covered the final three innings for the Angels. Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Noun
Great teachers are not catalogues of information tucked between cardboard covers. Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026 Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore also appear on the deluxe cover. David Ubben, New York Times, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cover
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cover
Verb
  • This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 4 June 2026
  • Our recipe calls for blueberry preserves, but feel free to substitute cherry or strawberry.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Typically this involves coating the inside with cooking oil and turning the smoker on to burn off any residue and re-season it.
    Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 4 June 2026
  • Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil.
    Emily Weinstein, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Among the city’s handful of modern-day speakeasies, Danico is shielded by a velvet curtain in the back of Italian eatery Daroco in Jean-Paul Gaultier’s former flagship shop.
    Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
  • Federal protections shield Social Security benefits from most collection efforts, though unpaid nursing home bills can still lead to lawsuits, judgments and other financial complications.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Politically, while there may have been the Ginsberg who was the heroic advocate for free expression in a 1956 California State Superior Court obscenity trial concerning Howl, there was also the Ginsberg who was a defender of NAMBLA in the 1980s (on first amendment grounds, but still).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Ciara and Interracial Dating in the Bravosphere The most thought-provoking moment of the episode concerned the online minefield that is interracial dating in the Bravosphere, a network that features predominantly white casts.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Escalante Sandoval then approached the parked van, removed a key concealed in the gas cap and backed it up, allowing a group of people to move three deep freezers from the van into the bed of the truck and load them with packages.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
  • Bottega Conticelli objets d’arts from leather and wood include vintage-style steamer trunks that conceal in-suite televisions and fragrant stationery items.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Many people have been shot trying to cross the barrier, including a 44-year-old father who was killed earlier this month.
    Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
  • Most people who become infected never develop symptoms, but if a person becomes infected for the first time during pregnancy or shortly before conceiving, the parasite can cross the placenta and infect the fetus.
    Dr. Megan Yanny, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images European stocks followed global peers lower on Friday as investors monitor a global sell-off in chipmaking tech names.
    Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 5 June 2026
  • The captain was flying the aircraft while the first officer monitored the flight instruments during the gusty approach.
    Russell Lewis, NPR, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
  • This sacrificial mechanism forces an impact to expend far more energy to penetrate the material, thereby protecting the stronger, load-bearing polymer bonds from failing during rapid deformation.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cover.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cover. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on cover

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