overlap

[oh-ver-lap, oh-ver-lap]

verb (used with object)

overlapped, overlapping 

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.

verb (used without object)

overlapped, overlapping 

1. to lap over.

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

noun

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

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

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

• nonoverlapping adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of overlap¹

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

Example Sentences

"GLP-1 therapies appear to have multiple synergistic effects that may be useful for treating chronic diseases with overlapping neural mechanisms, including binge eating disorders and addictive disorders."

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This increased overlap heightens competition for food and intensifies pressure on a species already facing severe decline.

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One area overlaps more than 78% with the Amazon National Park, part of the bio-diverse rainforest which plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate and storing carbon.

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Beyond making space for new Oscars-eligible original songs, the two-movie structure allowed the filmmakers to explore the overlap between the stories of "Wicked" and "The Wizard of Oz."

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One of the most striking results comes from SS 433, where the detected gamma rays overlap with a massive atomic cloud.

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