as in overlap
a partial covering of one thing by an adjoining member
the lapping of the roofing shingles should be several inches in order to avoid leaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
2
as in splashing
to flow in a broken irregular stream
the creek lapped along through the ravine before collecting in the pond
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in overlapping
to lie over parts of one another
the armadillo's plates lap tightly so as to form a protective shield
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in wrapping
to surround or cover closely
this recording of the symphony is sure to lap listeners in stereophonic bliss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lapping
Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 5 Feb. 2026
As Amanyara’s resident wellness expert guided me through a sound healing session and harmonized the vibrations of a Tibetan singing bowl, the lapping of the ocean waves seemed to still.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
When the lapping reaches your knees, start to worry.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The lapping of the sea at our language is not a difficult concept to fathom.
—Adrian Vore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
So following it up with a powder-soft beach—the lapping of a warm Indian ocean acting as your evening lullaby—is a pretty perfect ending.
—Pippa De Bruyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2025
Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
The Great Lakes boast some of America's niftiest beach areas—and yes, there are actually waves lapping the shore at this Midwest family vacation destination.
—Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Snyder is lapping Brown to start the playoffs.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
As Rahm was lapping the field at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico, LIV fired off a press release announcing that the league would be returning to the same venue in 2027.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
From curling waves and the golden sands along the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the warm Gulf of Mexico waters gently lapping onto the white sand beaches to the west, there truly is a beach for everyone.
—Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Whether lapping soft, sandy beaches or crashing against cliff walls and rocky coves, the water here is simply stunning—clear, clean, and a hundred shades of bright blue.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
The notes bounced over the lapping water, and people’s voices came in fragments.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
And nothing compares to waking up beside Alice Lake, where sunrise casts the 9,899-foot El Capitan in pale honey light—an image almost perfectly mirrored in gently lapping water below.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
From my perch on a sun lounger, Friendship Bay stretches out below me – the curve of the powdery sand beach, the impossible blue of the sea and the calming lapping of the waves against the shore.
—Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 5 Feb. 2026
As Amanyara’s resident wellness expert guided me through a sound healing session and harmonized the vibrations of a Tibetan singing bowl, the lapping of the ocean waves seemed to still.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
When the lapping reaches your knees, start to worry.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The lapping of the sea at our language is not a difficult concept to fathom.
—Adrian Vore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
So following it up with a powder-soft beach—the lapping of a warm Indian ocean acting as your evening lullaby—is a pretty perfect ending.
—Pippa De Bruyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The lapping waves that arrive shortly thereafter are an alarming detour, but their presence quickly feels normal.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
The Great Lakes boast some of America's niftiest beach areas—and yes, there are actually waves lapping the shore at this Midwest family vacation destination.
—Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Snyder is lapping Brown to start the playoffs.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
As Rahm was lapping the field at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico, LIV fired off a press release announcing that the league would be returning to the same venue in 2027.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
From curling waves and the golden sands along the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the warm Gulf of Mexico waters gently lapping onto the white sand beaches to the west, there truly is a beach for everyone.
—Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Whether lapping soft, sandy beaches or crashing against cliff walls and rocky coves, the water here is simply stunning—clear, clean, and a hundred shades of bright blue.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
The notes bounced over the lapping water, and people’s voices came in fragments.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
And nothing compares to waking up beside Alice Lake, where sunrise casts the 9,899-foot El Capitan in pale honey light—an image almost perfectly mirrored in gently lapping water below.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapping
overlap
Noun
-
By identifying an overlap between its core players and NFL fans, the agency built an activation at Gillette Stadium with a live Twitch stream component.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
-
After more than a decade of visiting Nashville—drawn by the overlap of food, hospitality, and music—LeBlanc began looking for a property that felt embedded in a neighborhood.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapping. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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