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
One Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland working paper, authored with Morning Consult economist John Leer and outside academics, overlaid Facebook data and inflation expectations and found that social networks now play a prominent role in shaping expectations.
—
Jonathan Levin, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2025
Accordingly, maps of urban projects, airports and seaports overlay the cartographic contours of Gaza; and a Gaza-West Bank corridor, which would be sealed for Israeli security, could connect the two geographically separate Palestinian territories.
—Christine Leuenberger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Even casual market observers recognize this relationship but seeing both overlaid on a chart really emphasizes the connection.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
But the evening’s most memorable moment was its first: a stunning tracking shot of Regina King sauntering into the station, overlaid with funky opening credits.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlay
Jonathan Levin, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2025
Accordingly, maps of urban projects, airports and seaports overlay the cartographic contours of Gaza; and a Gaza-West Bank corridor, which would be sealed for Israeli security, could connect the two geographically separate Palestinian territories.
—Christine Leuenberger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Even casual market observers recognize this relationship but seeing both overlaid on a chart really emphasizes the connection.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
But the evening’s most memorable moment was its first: a stunning tracking shot of Regina King sauntering into the station, overlaid with funky opening credits.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlay
Verb
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The wheat and sunflowers that Viktor grew would coat the fields in color, green wheat in one season, golden flowers in another.—
Ross Peleh,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2025
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The breathable and form-fitting Nylon/Spandex liner is coated with nitrile (a synthetic rubber) for protection and grip.—
Nora Taylor,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Laura Wright Gave Cameron Mathison a 'Hug' Before Laying Into Him on General Hospital After His Home Burned in L.A. Wildfires Working with Mathison, 55, who has been on General Hospital since 2021, is a bonus, too, as the actors previously overlapped on All My Children in the late '90s.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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Soon enough, multiple timelines from the town begin to overlap and intersect.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2025
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Over the six seasons of the show, the two endured covering up numerous murders and other crimes together, Oliver's HIV-positive diagnosis, planning a wedding (during which yet another murder occurred), and ultimately, Connor's arrest and sentencing to jail.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But Maduro’s numbers have been widely discredited by both domestic and international observers, based on both polling prior to the election and tally sheets the opposition was able to recover from voting machines before Maduro’s forces shut down the count.—
Rafael Bernal,
The Hill,
9 Jan. 2025
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Failure to confront and anticipate social and environmental issues and their consequences is being sheeted back to boards and executives.—
The Sorenson Impact Institute,
Forbes,
21 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Overlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlay. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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