# overlap vs overlay

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### overlap
*verb · IPA /ˌəʊvəˈlæp/ · frequency rank #11,259*
To extend over and partly cover something.

### overlay
*verb · IPA /ˌəʊ.vəˈleɪ/ · frequency rank #21,306*
To lay, spread, or apply (something) over or across (something else); to overspread.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overlap-vs-overlay