superimpose

American  

[soo-per-im-pohz] / ˌsu pər ɪmˈpoʊz /

verb (used with object)

• superimposes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• superimposed,
  past participle,  past
• superimposing
  present participle

1. to impose, place, or set over, above, or on something else.

2. to put or join as an addition (usually followed by on orupon ).

3. to display or print (an image or text) over another image so that both are visible at once.

   You can superimpose open captions on your videos with this free software.

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superimpose British  

/ ˌsuːpərɪmˈpəʊz /

verb

1. to set or place on or over something else

2. to add (to)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superimposition
  noun
• superimposable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• superimposing
  present
• superimposed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• superimpose
  simple
• superimposes
  simple
• have superimposed
  perfect
• has superimposed
  perfect
• am superimposing
  progressive
• are superimposing
  progressive
• is superimposing
  progressive
• have been superimposing
  perfect progressive
• has been superimposing
  perfect progressive

Past

• superimposed
  simple
• had superimposed
  perfect
• was superimposing
  progressive
• were superimposing
  progressive
• had been superimposing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will superimpose
  simple
• will have superimposed
  perfect
• will be superimposing
  progressive
• will have been superimposing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of superimpose

First recorded in 1785–95; super- + impose

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Explanation

Superimpose means laying one thing on top of another. It's often used to describe images in a photo collage — like the superimposed image of a skyscraper on the surface of the moon. The verb superimpose is typically used in graphics or photography to describe how images can be put on top of one another for dramatic effect. Use it also to show adding your own take on something, or when you try to have an impact on someone's behavior: "She tried to superimpose her ideas of perfection onto the lazy habits of her children."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

superimpose superimposes superimposed superimposing

It is premature to entirely superimpose Tesla’s trading patterns on SpaceX, but that is exactly what many seasoned investors are referencing as the SpaceX options market develops.

From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026

The app’s remix feature allowed users to superimpose the likeness of their friends or celebrities into existing AI-generated video or create brand new ones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026

The agency “did not want to intervene and superimpose last-minute, unvetted judgment into the process, as this could have been perceived as manipulating the data,” it said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025

Users can then superimpose the digital images onto their physical surroundings using their device.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2025

Very early, however, the gringo church in our neighborhood began to superimpose itself on our family life.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Kylian Mbappe has criticised a viral meme which superimposes his face on the body of a dictator, saying it shows "a lack of political and human awareness".

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

The most elucidating superimposes a Pietà by Anne-Louis Girodet, David’s little-known pupil, over David’s “Marat.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025

In the meantime, I have assembled a small library of eclipse books and magazines, including a road atlas that superimposes the 2024 path of totality onto a detailed map of the U.S.,

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2024

A $25 coffee cup for sale on the site features his mugshot and his inmate number: P01135809, another superimposes his mugshot over a list of the criminal charges he now faces in four separate cases.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 25, 2023

Certainly, in the case of adults, an obstruction puts the individual "on his mettle", and superimposes the mastery motive upon whatever motive it may have been that originally prompted the action.

From Psychology A Study Of Mental Life by Robert S. Woodworth

In mid-July, he posted a picture on Truth Social of a map that included Greenland with the American flag superimposed on it.

From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026

The research team mapped where the 44,000 unsheltered people lived and superimposed those over maps of the theoretcial one-mile radius security zones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

The team has seen so many certificates that it knows what to look for: fonts; inconsistent margins; the right official’s signature; a superimposed name of a student.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

These structures have a built-in twist, either left- or right-handed, that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2026

Just as he had superimposed his mother’s image on his father’s face, now he could see his father’s face reflected in his own features.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

"Others appear to be an image manipulated manually, often by superimposing indicators of damage or another change on a satellite image that had no such details to begin with," he said.

From Barron's ● Mar. 9, 2026

That choice allowed star David Corenswet to react in real time to his filmed environment, rather than shooting him before a blue screen and later superimposing him over footage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025

Hence, Shirley’s Central American vacation video generated many versions of a meme superimposing his image on stills from the show's prison arc.

From Salon ● May 7, 2025

Murnau pioneered some early special effects, including superimposing the image of Nosferatu on to a ship to create a frightening ghostly glow, Eggers goes for an earthy take, grounded in history and reality.

From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2024

On your crassness superimposing the peculiar art of glosing in sleek phrases about Sin.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, September 20, 1890 by Various

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