1
as in substitutes
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
a friend covered for me as a hospital volunteer while my family went on vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in coats
to form a layer over
by morning a foot of snow covered the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in shields
to place a protective layer over
better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn, not to mention skin cancer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in concerns
to have (something) as a subject matter
this section of the book covers kitchen makeovers for the enterprising do-it-yourselfer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in conceals
to keep secret or shut off from view
covered the foxhole with grass and leaves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in traverses
to make one's way through, across, or over
we usually manage to cover a lot of ground in a single day
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in monitors
to pay continued close attention to (something) for a particular purpose
I'll cover the reception desk while you take a break
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in protects
to drive danger or attack away from
covered the wounded soldier until he could be rescued from the downed chopper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in safeguards
means or method of defending
provided cover while their comrades ran for safety
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sheaths
something that encloses another thing especially to protect it
put the restaurant menus in clear plastic covers so that they would last longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in replacements
a person or thing that takes the place of another
people may only skip their shifts if they find a cover for themselves first
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in canopies
a raised covering over something for decoration or protection
all of the exhibits at the fair are under cover, so the weather won't be a factor
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in shrouds
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
under cover of friendship the con man insinuated himself in the lives of the unsuspecting couple
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of covers
Bill Jones, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
In Georgia, extreme drought now covers 71% of the state, the highest since 2012.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
The Logs to Lustron tour covers a mix of housing styles in the park, ranging from log cabins built in the late 1800s to a 1950s Lustron house, a metal freestyle house.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Designed by Liu Yi-chun, a Chinese architect from Atelier Deshaus, the building covers a 355,209-square-foot area, with up to 172,222 square feet dedicated for exhibition, and officially opened to the public in 2014.
—Sandra Salibian For Wwd, ARTnews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
FilmLA covers, making things a little easier on local productions.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
The warning covers east Shawnee, northwest Douglas, northeast Osage and southeast Jackson counties.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Horner then covers the lens of the cabin camera.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
Irene Wright covers the governor's race in Georgia as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
Pj Green
april 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
April Showers Another month of books, another month of book covers.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
The album, which is comprised almost wholly of covers spanning yacht rock mainstays, also includes one original Urban song to round the package out.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
That was right in the middle of the full-on woke era where normally these covers were reserved for trans models.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
However, body oils, sweat, and dust mites can penetrate covers over time.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
The use of fabric row covers is sometimes used to prevent infestation, but caution should be used to ensure the fabric doesn’t lie wet against developing heads, causing them to mold.
—Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
These include not throwing cigarettes or matches out of moving vehicles and covering burn barrels with weighted metal covers.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Rihanna the mother has been the theme of many of her magazine covers and campaigns.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
Downs is a rare safety who covers like a cornerback, tackles like a linebacker, and blitzes like an edge rusher.
—Bill Jones, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
In Georgia, extreme drought now covers 71% of the state, the highest since 2012.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
The Logs to Lustron tour covers a mix of housing styles in the park, ranging from log cabins built in the late 1800s to a 1950s Lustron house, a metal freestyle house.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Designed by Liu Yi-chun, a Chinese architect from Atelier Deshaus, the building covers a 355,209-square-foot area, with up to 172,222 square feet dedicated for exhibition, and officially opened to the public in 2014.
—Sandra Salibian For Wwd, ARTnews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
FilmLA covers, making things a little easier on local productions.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
The warning covers east Shawnee, northwest Douglas, northeast Osage and southeast Jackson counties.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Horner then covers the lens of the cabin camera.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
Irene Wright covers the governor's race in Georgia as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
The coaches’ office is no bigger than a janitor’s closet, but the yellow brick walls are lined with championship pictures, motivational quotes, magazine covers of female athletes, soccer star Hope Solo, and accomplishments of each coach.
—Pj Green
april 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
April Showers Another month of books, another month of book covers.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
The album, which is comprised almost wholly of covers spanning yacht rock mainstays, also includes one original Urban song to round the package out.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
That was right in the middle of the full-on woke era where normally these covers were reserved for trans models.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
However, body oils, sweat, and dust mites can penetrate covers over time.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
The use of fabric row covers is sometimes used to prevent infestation, but caution should be used to ensure the fabric doesn’t lie wet against developing heads, causing them to mold.
—Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
These include not throwing cigarettes or matches out of moving vehicles and covering burn barrels with weighted metal covers.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Rihanna the mother has been the theme of many of her magazine covers and campaigns.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covers
Verb
-
Agreed, but this bill substitutes the long, painstaking and complex work of fixing California’s troubled insurance market with finger-pointing and posturing.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Rosenson said that if CRISPR is a scissor that cuts both strands of DNA, base editing is an eraser that substitutes one chemical letter, or base, in a single strand of DNA.—
David Cox,
NBC news,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ngo coats the nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing eye shadow across the surface with a nail sponge.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Algae coats the native eelgrass.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The curve of the land shields the coastline from a heavier swell from the Atlantic, so the water remains calm and clear for long stretches.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Packing a tent, space blanket, tarp or lightweight shelter that shields you from the elements can help if severe weather occurs or your plan takes a turn.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And most importantly, concerns that other organizations would use their spending to push for a salary tax in upcoming labor negotiations.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Lack of direct tax cuts concerns GOP Republican lawmakers say Connecticut still can afford to deliver direct relief to taxpayers, provided the state does a better job controlling the growth of costs.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For the cooking areas, Rockwell’s team installed floor-to-ceiling subway tile, a giant island, and deep-green millwork from Plain English that conceals all of the essentials.—
Hannah Martin,
Architectural Digest,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, Nicky and Morgan’s middle-class respectability conceals an overwhelming existential paralysis.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Equipped with advanced LiDAR sensors and 360-degree cameras, the humanoid autonomously traverses the site, capturing high-definition data and feeding it directly into health and safety workflows.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The river traverses land where three generations of the Egger family once raised dairy cows.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The sensors, which are flexible and reusable after being sanitized, send data to an app that monitors a patient’s condition.—
Roni Robbins,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Waterbury Housing Authority executive director Chris D’Orso said there is a public road that runs between two of the buildings at Berkeley Heights, and the city monitors it carefully to ensure that people don’t block emergency vehicle or bus access.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
City Council Speaker Julie Menin deserves credit for advancing legislation that protects synagogues, churches, mosques and other places of worship by deploying safety perimeters keeping protesters at a distance.—
Elliot Cosgrove,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Pro hairstylist Ryan Richman previously described this Briogeo cream as a lightweight, silicone-free heat-protectant cream that minimizes frizz, smooths hair, enhances shine, and protects against heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Covers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covers. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
