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

That press, led by Malard, has moved higher up and teams have struggled to break through, while full-back Ellie Carpenter continues to overlap dangerously.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

They can overlap, of course, but these are to be avoided.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

In some ways, the new report’s findings overlap with Barr’s report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

“We cannot put a moratorium on this because China will overlap us, and that’s the challenge,” Johnson said Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

They’re not the same, though the meanings do overlap.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Women showed their sharpest rise between ages 40 and 60, a period that broadly overlaps with the menopausal transition.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026

They say elephants destroy crops and infrastructure and pose a danger to people, particularly as their range increasingly overlaps with farms and settlements.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Harry Styles’s current Madison Square Garden residency overlaps with Halloween, or “Harryween,” at which fans are encouraged to go all out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Milwaukee’s festival calendar stretches well beyond these two, so if your visit overlaps with one, it’s worth checking the city’s full schedule before you arrive.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

“Research often overlaps in ways nobody expects,” Dr. Achebe said.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Some vocational qualifications that overlapped with T-levels have had funding withdrawn, while others continue to be funded following a government review.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Instead the shocks have persisted and overlapped with a newer one, a surge in prices for technology equipment and software tied to the artificial-intelligence build-out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

The roles overlapped, but Robb and the mayor’s office insisted there was a firewall between Robb and the mayor regarding the Lineage fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

There was a Wonder Woman poster that stretched over his bed, which overlapped one of Selena.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

“A broader portfolio, overlapping customers and a single corporate cost base should sharpen BASF’s position against global competition,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Xi did not reply in kind but rather stressed their two countries’ overlapping “interests.”

From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026

The sales trends have arrived after the luxury industry hiked prices over the 2020s, following the pandemic and overlapping supply disruptions, leading to distrust among some consumers.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

These medium-sized mammals, found only in Africa and Asia, have long, powerful tails, large curved claws, and bodies covered in overlapping scales that resemble a pinecone.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

I hear Cassie’s voice overlapping with Tyler’s on top of Ryan’s.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari