1
as in to overlap
to lie over parts of one another
the puzzle pieces overlay one another in complete disarray on the floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to coat
to form a layer over
there will be freezing rain tonight, so we can expect to find a thick layer of ice overlying the car windshield in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 overlie
In turn, carbon dioxide ice in the bottom layer turns into gas, which builds up and eventually breaks through overlying ice up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) thick, according to a statement from ESA.
—
Space.com Staff, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025
That’s relevant for digging through the Earth because when a hole is dug or drilled, the walls along the sides of the hole are under tremendous pressure from the overlying rock and also unstable because there’s empty space next to them.
—Andrew Gase, Discover Magazine, 30 Nov. 2024
When the stone near the surface can no longer support the weight of overlying soil or a roadbed, the ground collapses and a sinkhole appears.
—Mary Ann Ashcraft, Baltimore Sun, 23 Nov. 2024
As the fabric does so, an ordered network of minuscule cracks open and close in the overlying graphene layer.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for overlie
Space.com Staff, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025
That’s relevant for digging through the Earth because when a hole is dug or drilled, the walls along the sides of the hole are under tremendous pressure from the overlying rock and also unstable because there’s empty space next to them.
—Andrew Gase, Discover Magazine, 30 Nov. 2024
When the stone near the surface can no longer support the weight of overlying soil or a roadbed, the ground collapses and a sinkhole appears.
—Mary Ann Ashcraft, Baltimore Sun, 23 Nov. 2024
As the fabric does so, an ordered network of minuscule cracks open and close in the overlying graphene layer.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for overlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlie
Verb
-
With a kind of theater vérité, Cromer fills the monochromatic bunker of a set with a large — the cast numbers 21 — and mostly male ensemble, all bustling about with myriad tasks amid overlapping dialogue and banter.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
-
While most people associate the onset of dementia in the elderly with Alzheimer's, there are a number of distinct dementia diagnoses, often with risk factors and underlying biology that only partly overlap.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
How to Preserve Flowers with Beeswax The hack itself is simple—just melt some beeswax into a bowl or jar, grab a single flower of your choice, and dip it straight in until it's fully coated.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Not to mention, it’s also constructed with durable stoneware and coated in a nonporous enamel glaze that is stain- and scratch-resistant, too.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Bailey Berg is a freelance travel writer and editor, who covers breaking news, trends, tips, transportation, sustainability, the outdoors, and more.—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
28 Mar. 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Overlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlie. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share