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
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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
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Recent Examples of overlie
As a result, the top few inches of soil or rock heat up rapidly over the course of a day, and in turn warm the overlying air.
—
Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024
Then Lewis and her colleagues work to develop solutions to preserve the caves without hindering construction, such as rerouting utilities around subterranean cavities or installing manholes in overlying sidewalks to maintain access.
—Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2024
The cameras pierced the artist’s overlying brushstrokes to reveal a sketch of an elegant and mysterious man wearing a bow tie and three rings and holding his chin.
—Fabio Pacucci, Scientific American, 27 June 2024
Our list of reasonable diagnoses was expanding and contracting, replaced with irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerances, gut motility issues, all overlying a stressed individual barely keeping it together.
—Eric Snoey, Twin Cities, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for overlie 
Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024
Then Lewis and her colleagues work to develop solutions to preserve the caves without hindering construction, such as rerouting utilities around subterranean cavities or installing manholes in overlying sidewalks to maintain access.
—Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2024
The cameras pierced the artist’s overlying brushstrokes to reveal a sketch of an elegant and mysterious man wearing a bow tie and three rings and holding his chin.
—Fabio Pacucci, Scientific American, 27 June 2024
Our list of reasonable diagnoses was expanding and contracting, replaced with irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerances, gut motility issues, all overlying a stressed individual barely keeping it together.
—Eric Snoey, Twin Cities, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for overlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlie
Verb
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How Speaker Mike Johnson’s bond with Trump shapes GOP future How Trump's top administration picks reflect broad geographic diversity A politics pit stop Inauguration and MLK Day overlap for the third time ever.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
19 Jan. 2025
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The 10-minute session — which will likely overlap with the Trump inauguration, in case anyone needs a timeout from that — reiterates Lynch’s longtime practice and belief in the methods of Transcendental Meditation.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The same color, but at a 50 percent saturation, also coats the house's exterior.—
Katelyn Squiers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Jan. 2025
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Pennies used to be made entirely of copper but the government switched to producing pennies that were 98 percent zinc and just coated in copper after the coins began disappearing when Americans began hoarding them to be repurposed as copper washers.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Those policies also don’t cover all the potential sources of liability.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes,
27 Jan. 2025
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See some of the deals January 27, 2025 3:16 PM Chiefs Here’s Steve Spagnuolo’s favorite detail from blitz that sent Chiefs to Super Bowl January 27, 2025 6:30 AM See all stories The Kansas City Star 816-234-4730 Blair Kerkhoff has covered sports for The Kansas City Star since 1989.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near overlie
Cite this Entry
“Overlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlie. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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