overlap

American  

[oh-ver-lap, oh-ver-lap] / ˌoʊ vərˈlæp, ˈoʊ vərˌlæp /

verb (used with object)

• overlaps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• overlapped,
  past participle,  past
• overlapping
  present participle

1. to lap over (something else or each other); extend over and cover a part of; imbricate.

2. to cover and extend beyond (something else).

   The ends of cloth overlap the table.

3. to coincide in part with; have in common with.

   two lives that overlapped each other.

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verb (used without object)

• overlaps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• overlapped,
  past participle,  past
• overlapping
  present participle

1. to lap over.

   two sales territories that overlap; fields of knowledge that overlap.

noun

• overlaps
  plural

1. an act or instance of overlapping.

2. the extent or amount of overlapping.

   The second story of the building has an overlap of ten feet.

3. an overlapping part.

4. the place of overlapping.

5. (in yacht racing) the position of two yachts side by side such that the overtaking boat, to pass the other on the opposite side, must fall back, or such that neither can turn toward the other without danger of collision.

overlap British  

verb

1. (of two things) to extend or lie partly over (each other)

2. to cover and extend beyond (something)

3. (intr) to coincide partly in time, subject, etc

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noun

1. a part that overlaps or is overlapped

2. the amount, length, etc, overlapping

3. the act or fact of overlapping

4. a place of overlapping

5. geology the horizontal extension of the upper beds in a series of rock strata beyond the lower beds, usually caused by submergence of the land

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonoverlapping
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• overlaps
  plural

Participles

• overlapping
  present
• overlapped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• overlap
  simple
• overlaps
  simple
• have overlapped
  perfect
• has overlapped
  perfect
• am overlapping
  progressive
• are overlapping
  progressive
• is overlapping
  progressive
• have been overlapping
  perfect progressive
• has been overlapping
  perfect progressive

Past

• overlapped
  simple
• had overlapped
  perfect
• was overlapping
  progressive
• were overlapping
  progressive
• had been overlapping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will overlap
  simple
• will have overlapped
  perfect
• will be overlapping
  progressive
• will have been overlapping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of overlap

First recorded in 1685–95; over- + lap ²

Explanation

When things overlap, part or all of one thing covers part or all of the other, like roofing shingles or flat noodles in a lasagna dish. Not only can things overlap, but schedules can, too. If you accidentally schedule your doctor's appointment and your dentist appointment at the same time, they overlap, which is unfortunate because you can't be in two places at once. Philosophies and perspectives overlap when they share certain points or ideas in common.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overlap overlaps overlapped overlapping

Teledyne Chief Executive Robert Mehrabian said the companies serve similar customers with related technologies, though its products are uniquely complementary with minimal overlap.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

But she also noted that there could be bigger retailers out there that have more overlap with the auction site.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

There is some overlap but, from information gathered by BBC Sport to date, this is the best projection of what Chelsea's squad could look like.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Kronauer's team found that some of the neuromodulatory mechanisms involved in caregiving overlap in ants and mice.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

As the notes overlap, they compliment one another, forming a lovely, unearthly harmony.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

The salmonella outbreak overlaps with the nation’s largest-ever cyclospora outbreak, tied to shredded iceberg lettuce, that has sickened thousands of people over the past several weeks.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

But even if “Sheep in the Box” overlaps with these memorable movies, this story would seem an ideal opportunity for Kore-eda to revisit a favorite subject: how loss can linger.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

"The darkening overlaps exactly with the fern spike, the main extinction interval, and elevated abundance of charcoal and PAHs."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

But these efforts have often been uncoordinated, resulting in overlaps, inefficiencies, a general lack of scale and sometimes incompatibilities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

Classic style overlaps with plain and practical styles.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

At this sea level "sweet spot," low-oxygen waters overlapped with organic-rich continental shelf sediments.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

The tertulias at Alemana became the space where artists, journalists, and drunks overlapped freely.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026

During Trump's first term, the US president and former Brazilian president Bolsonaro enjoyed a friendly relationship when their presidencies overlapped, and the two had met at the White House in 2019.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

They said the department covered Duffy’s flights on trips that overlapped with official visits to air-traffic control facilities or assessing port infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

“It’s absolutely gorgeous the way you overlapped the strands so skillfully. The gradation is flawless.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

One of the goals of the merger is to shave costs by consolidating overlapping business divisions and back-office functions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Instead, the findings suggest that very different experiences may sometimes engage overlapping brain processes associated with altered states of consciousness.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

His popularity has been hit by overlapping misconduct investigations into his wife, brother and Socialist party officials, who all deny wrongdoing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

"What we do know is that this is a coastal seabird that has an overlapping coastal range with migratory sea birds that have previously tested positive for H5."

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

It was one of those that has a handle which you turn, and down below there are a lot of overlapping blades that go whizzing round.

From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl