lapping 1 of 3

noun

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

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lapping

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of lap
1
as in washing
to flow along or against the waves gently lapped the sandy shore

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2
as in splashing
to flow in a broken irregular stream the creek lapped along through the ravine before collecting in the pond

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rippling
to move with a splashing motion a stiff breeze that was causing the lake waters to lap against the hull with some force

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lapping

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of lap
1
as in overlapping
to lie over parts of one another the armadillo's plates lap tightly so as to form a protective shield

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2
as in wrapping
to surround or cover closely this recording of the symphony is sure to lap listeners in stereophonic bliss

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lapping
Noun
The Wave percale sheets are guaranteed to lull you to sleep, like you’re being rocked by the gentle lapping of the ocean. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 13 July 2026 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
Imbibe inside or in the adjoining garden-courtyard where passing gondolas send canal water lapping below the balustrade. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 To the tune of softly lapping waves, The Inn at Langley revealed its cards slowly in the way quiet luxury tends to do. — Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026 As her words came out, smoke billowed from her body, filling her clothes, lapping out around her feet in rings. — Gabriel Winslow-Yost, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 The cries of seagulls, water lapping against the boat, the rumble of engines and the arrival of speedboats ferrying cast and crew give the sense of sharing the actors’ long waits on the open water. — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026 His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri was furious after a collision with Williams’ Carlos Sainz, whom Piastri was in the process of lapping. — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 27 July 2026 The result is that while readers have continued lapping up Mating in Captivity, Americans have broadly become worse at taking Perel’s advice. — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026 With just a bit more than a month to go before the primary election on August 18, polls show Byron Donalds lapping the field for the Republican nomination while David Jolly has a solid lead among Democrats. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 12 July 2026 In Houston, some drivers were up to their trailer hitches in lapping waters, while photos from Waco, Texas, showed roadways washed away by the storms. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapping
  1. overlap
  2. washing
  3. splashing
  4. rippling
  5. overlapping
  6. wrapping
  7. bathing
  8. bubbling
Noun
  • The overlap effectively turned one of the summer’s biggest movies, The Odyssey, into an unexpected promotion for another.
    — David Deal, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Policy overlap Federal policies enacted in 2022 aimed to steer clean-energy investments toward communities impacted by coal plant closures, yet data centers are inheriting these sites instead.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of overlap
Verb
  • While no produce wash—including this one, vinegar, or baking soda—can eliminate Cyclospora, thoroughly washing your produce can help reduce dirt and contamination on the surface.
    — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 July 2026
  • The inspector noted that employees weren’t washing their hands properly and the ice from a dirty ice machine wasn’t safe for human consumption.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
Definition of washing
Verb
  • For those who do choose to enter the water, experts recommend avoiding splashing, seals and schools of fish.
    — Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Emily in Paris chronicles the birth of an influencer, regularly splashing Emily’s Instagram posts and growing follower count across the screen.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of splashing
Verb
  • As the drugs whittle waistlines, their impact is rippling beyond the bathroom scale and into a surprisingly wide swath of American life.
    — Elyse Moody, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
  • That shift in mindset is rippling through mountain and foothill communities too.
    — Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 24 July 2026
Definition of rippling
Verb
  • The reserve sits in both Canada and the United States, and the overlapping jurisdictions can make smuggling easier, Maheu said.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • In regions such as Indonesia, a surge in basketball viewership is overlapping with a rise in mobile-first digital investment platform adoption.
    — Agung Dwi Sandi, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of overlapping
Verb
  • Either thaw them at room temperature or reheat them by wrapping frozen muffins or loaves in foil and placing them in a 300ºF oven for 12 to 15 minutes (muffins) or up to 30 minutes (loaves) until heated through.
    — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
  • If weather is the issue, consider wrapping your boxwoods in burlap during winter to protect against harsh winds and cold temperatures.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrapping
Verb
  • The rocks can provide birds with a safe place to perch when bathing, too.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2026
  • Apparently, Alice has stopped bathing because Marshall used to yank her out of the shower to beat her up.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of bathing
Verb
  • Place bowl in a warm spot and let sit, uncovered, until mixture is bubbling up around flour, 30–40 minutes.
    — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and aromatic.
    — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026
Definition of bubbling

Browse Nearby Words

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lapping
lapping (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Lapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapping. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of lapping for Spanish Speakers

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