overlap

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
12
Words With Friends
15
Letters
7
Pronunciation
/ˌəʊvəˈlæp/
See all 4 pronunciations
/ˌəʊvəˈlæp/ · /ˌoʊvɚˈlæp/ · /ˈəʊvəˌlæp/ · /ˈoʊvɚˌlæp/

Definition of overlap

9 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. (intransitive, transitive)To extend over and partly cover something.
    “The mouse-mat overlapped the edge of the desk.”
See all 9 definitions

verb

  1. (intransitive, transitive)To extend over and partly cover something.
    “The mouse-mat overlapped the edge of the desk.”
  2. (intransitive, transitive)To co-occur, to happen at the same time.
  3. (intransitive, transitive)To have an area, range, character or function in common.
    “The two maps overlapped at the east and west edges.”
    “Memento unfolds over 22 scenes—or, more accurately, 22 strands of time, the main strand (in color) moving backward in increments, and another strand (in black and white) going forward, though the two overlap profoundly.”
  4. (intransitive, transitive)Of sets: to have some elements in common.
    “The set (all men) overlaps the set (vegetarians).”
  5. (intransitive, transitive)To have some similar nucleotide sequences.
  6. (intransitive, transitive)An illusion of depth is created when one object partially covers another.

noun

  1. (intransitive, transitive)Something that overlaps or is overlapped.
  2. (intransitive, transitive)a situation in the game where an attacking line has more players in it than the defensive line coming to meet it. The attacking side may exploit the overlap by using their superior numbers to break the opposition's defensive line. If attackers outnumber defenders by more than one player this is often termed a two man overlap or three man overlap, etc. If the attacking side fails to break through usually due to poor execution, they are said to waste an overlap.
  3. (intransitive, transitive)The payment of a spouse's or other dependant's annuity benefits concurrently with the member's benefits, on death of the member during the guarantee period.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From over- + lap. Cognate with Dutch overlap.

Words you can make from overlap

124 playable · top: PLOVER (11 pts)

Best play plover 11 points

6-letter words

1 word

5-letter words

25 words

4-letter words

47 words

3-letter words

36 words

2-letter words

14 words

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

A single letter you can add to overlap to make another valid word.

Find your best play with overlap

See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes overlap, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.