# overlying

/ˌoʊvɝˈɫaɪɪŋ/ (US) · /ˌəʊvəlˈaɪɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overlying
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

lying on top of something else and covering it. You see it for layers like soil, snow, or skin.

For teachers: lying directly above and covering a surface, layer, or structure beneath. Often describes geological strata, tissue, or materials in technical contexts.

## Examples

- The blanket overlying the bed keeps me warm.
- The builders removed the overlying tiles to check for water damage underneath.
- Geologists studied the overlying sediment to understand how centuries of flooding had buried the older settlement below.

## Synonyms

covering, upper, superimpose

## Antonyms

underlying, lower

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies.

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