overlie Definition
- 1to lie over or upon, as a covering or stratum
- 2to smother (an infant) by lying upon it, as in sleep.
Using overlie: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "overlie" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The soil is overlaid with rocks.
Example
The baby was accidentally overlain by its mother.
Example
The painting was overlaid with gold leaf.
overlie Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for overlie
Phrases with overlie
Example
The snow lay thick on the ground, overlying everything like a blanket.
Example
His lies overlaid the truth, making it difficult to discern what really happened.
Example
The trauma of the accident still overlies her memories of that day.
Summary: overlie in Brief
'Overlie' [oh-ver-lahy] means to cover or lie over something or someone, such as a covering or stratum. It can also refer to accidentally smothering an infant by lying upon it, as in sleep. Examples include 'The soil is overlaid with rocks.' and 'The painting was overlaid with gold leaf.' Phrases include 'overlie something/someone like a blanket,' 'overlie the truth,' and 'overlie a memory.'