IRREGULAR VERBS
Irregular verbs Regular verbs
overlay, overlays, overlaying, overlaid
Synonyms: cover, coat, laminate, blanket, spread
Antonyms: uncover, expose, reveal, strip, peel
The Verb "Overlay" – Meaning and Usage
The verb "overlay" combines "over-" (indicating placement above or upon) with "lay," and it refers to placing or laying one thing on top of another, often in a covering or decorative manner.
Primary Meanings:
To place or lay something over another object or surface: Usually implies covering or adding an additional layer.
Example: "The carpenter overlaid the wooden table with a protective finish."
(Computing or graphics) To place images, text, or graphics on top of another visual element: Frequently used in digital design, video editing, or graphic software.
Example: "The video editor overlaid subtitles onto the film."
Grammatical Forms:
Base form: overlay
Past tense: overlaid
Past participle: overlaid
This makes "overlay" an irregular verb, having identical past tense and past participle forms.
Synonyms: Cover, Superimpose, Layer
Usage Contexts:
Art and Design:
"Gold leaf was carefully overlaid on the sculpture."
Technology and Multimedia:
"The app overlays navigation information directly onto the map."
General Usage (figurative or abstract):
"His optimism overlaid his underlying worries."
Additional Information:
Noun form: "Overlay" is also commonly used as a noun meaning a layer or something placed over another.
Example: "The screen has an overlay to prevent scratches."
The verb "overlay" emphasizes the action of adding or placing one layer onto another, often for protection, decoration, or functional enhancement.
| OVERLAY - PRESENT SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ i | overlay |
| ★ you | overlay |
| ★ he/she/it | overlays |
| ★ we | overlay |
| ★ you | overlay |
| ★ they | overlay |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Present Simple |
|---|
| - I overlay the original image with a semi‑transparent watermark. |
| - You overlay subtitles on the video to improve accessibility. |
| - He overlays the chart with a trendline. | She overlays the map with weather data. |
| - We overlay our designs with texture to add depth. |
| - You (plural) overlay the slides with speaker notes. |
| - They overlay the dashboard with performance metrics. |
| OVERLAY - PRESENT CONTINUOUS | |
| ★ i am | overlaying |
| ★ you are | overlaying |
| ★ he/she/it is | overlaying |
| ★ we are | overlaying |
| ★ you are | overlaying |
| ★ they are | overlaying |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Present Continuous |
|---|
| - I am overlaying the photo with a color filter. |
| - You are overlaying captions on the footage in real time. |
| - He is overlaying the audio track with sound effects. | She is overlaying the diagram with color codes. |
| - We are overlaying the web page with a modal dialog. |
| - You (plural) are overlaying the blueprint with structural notes. |
| - They are overlaying the UI with a new theme. |
| OVERLAY - PRESENT PERFECT | |
| ★ i have | overlaid |
| ★ you have | overlaid |
| ★ he/she/it has | overlaid |
| ★ we have | overlaid |
| ★ you have | overlaid |
| ★ they have | overlaid |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Present Perfect |
|---|
| - I have overlaid the spreadsheet with formulas to automate calculations. |
| - You have overlaid the painting with varnish. |
| - He has overlaid the video with closed captions. | She has overlaid the presentation with a fresh template. |
| - We have overlaid the roof with solar panels. |
| - You (plural) have overlaid the report with annotations. |
| - They have overlaid the terrain model with satellite imagery. |
| OVERLAY - PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
| ★ i have been | overlaying |
| ★ you have been | overlaying |
| ★ he/she/it has been | overlaying |
| ★ we have been | overlaying |
| ★ you have been | overlaying |
| ★ they have been | overlaying |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I have been overlaying the soundtrack with ambient noise for atmosphere. |
| - You have been overlaying the chart with interactive elements. |
| - He has been overlaying the design with gradient backgrounds. | She has been overlaying the website with promotional banners. |
| - We have been overlaying the map with live GPS coordinates. |
| - You (plural) have been overlaying the data with visual markers. |
| - They have been overlaying the interface with accessibility features. |
| OVERLAY - PAST SIMPLE | |
| ★ i | overlaid |
| ★ you | overlaid |
| ★ he/she/it | overlaid |
| ★ we | overlaid |
| ★ you | overlaid |
| ★ they | overlaid |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Past Simple |
|---|
| - I overlaid the report with a summary slide yesterday. |
| - You overlaid the floor with new carpet. |
| - He overlaid the engine diagram with annotations. | She overlaid the menu with seasonal specials. |
| - We overlaid the garden with protective netting last winter. |
| - You (plural) overlaid the form with validation rules. |
| - They overlaid the building façade with insulation. |
| OVERLAY - PAST CONTINUOUS | |
| ★ i was | overlaying |
| ★ you were | overlaying |
| ★ he/she/it was | overlaying |
| ★ we were | overlaying |
| ★ you were | overlaying |
| ★ they were | overlaying |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Past Continuous |
|---|
| - I was overlaying the text with highlights when the power went out. |
| - You were overlaying the track with reverb effects. |
| - He was overlaying the blueprint with structural revisions. | She was overlaying the chart with additional data points. |
| - We were overlaying the 3D model with wireframes. |
| - You (plural) were overlaying the database with security patches. |
| - They were overlaying the software with debugging tools. |
| OVERLAY - PAST PERFECT | |
| ★ i had | overlaid |
| ★ you had | overlaid |
| ★ he/she/it had | overlaid |
| ★ we had | overlaid |
| ★ you had | overlaid |
| ★ they had | overlaid |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Past Perfect |
|---|
| - I had overlaid the video with subtitles before the premiere. |
| - You had overlaid the painting with a protective coating before shipping. |
| - He had overlaid the floor with mats before the event began. | She had overlaid the webpage with pop‑ups before the launch. |
| - We had overlaid the platform with monitoring scripts before deployment. |
| - You (plural) had overlaid the sheet with formulas before sharing it. |
| - They had overlaid the canvas with primer before painting. |
| OVERLAY - PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
| ★ i had been | overlaying |
| ★ you had been | overlaying |
| ★ he/she/it had been | overlaying |
| ★ we had been | overlaying |
| ★ you had been | overlaying |
| ★ they had been | overlaying |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I had been overlaying the audio track with loops for hours before I saved the project. |
| - You had been overlaying the design with layers until you found the right balance. |
| - He had been overlaying the map with data sets all morning. | She had been overlaying the presentation with animations before the meeting. |
| - We had been overlaying the interface with prototypes all day. |
| - You (plural) had been overlaying the diagram with color highlights for weeks. |
| - They had been overlaying the dashboard with real‑time metrics before the audit. |
| OVERLAY - FUTURE SIMPLE | |
| ★ i will | overlay |
| ★ you will | overlay |
| ★ he/she/it will | overlay |
| ★ we will | overlay |
| ★ you will | overlay |
| ★ they will | overlay |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Future Simple |
|---|
| - I will overlay the blueprint with safety annotations tomorrow. |
| - You will overlay the video with your commentary next week. |
| - He will overlay the chart with trend analysis. | She will overlay the site with a new style guide. |
| - We will overlay the plans with cost estimates. |
| - You (plural) will overlay the spreadsheet with pivot tables. |
| - They will overlay the presentation with interactive widgets. |
| OVERLAY - FUTURE CONTINUOUS | |
| ★ i will be | overlaying |
| ★ you will be | overlaying |
| ★ he/she/it will be | overlaying |
| ★ we will be | overlaying |
| ★ you will be | overlaying |
| ★ they will be | overlaying |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Future Continuous |
|---|
| - I will be overlaying the map with updated routes during the trip. |
| - You will be overlaying the audio with voice‑overs in the recording. |
| - He will be overlaying the report with footnotes as he writes. | She will be overlaying the dashboard with live data feeds. |
| - We will be overlaying the 3D model with texture maps in the render. |
| - You (plural) will be overlaying the site with SEO tags next month. |
| - They will be overlaying the training materials with quizzes during the workshop. |
| OVERLAY - FUTURE PERFECT | |
| ★ i will have | overlaid |
| ★ you will have | overlaid |
| ★ he/she/it will have | overlaid |
| ★ we will have | overlaid |
| ★ you will have | overlaid |
| ★ they will have | overlaid |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Future Perfect |
|---|
| - I will have overlaid the design with final graphics by the deadline. |
| - You will have overlaid the floor with laminate by Friday. |
| - He will have overlaid the video with translations by the premiere. | She will have overlaid the site with accessibility features by launch day. |
| - We will have overlaid the software with security updates before release. |
| - You (plural) will have overlaid the spreadsheet with macros by then. |
| - They will have overlaid the framework with plugins by the conference. |
| OVERLAY - FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
| ★ i will have been | overlaying |
| ★ you will have been | overlaying |
| ★ he/she/it will have been | overlaying |
| ★ we will have been | overlaying |
| ★ you will have been | overlaying |
| ★ they will have been | overlaying |
| Examples of the verb 'overlay' in the Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I will have been overlaying the audio with effects for days by the time it’s done. |
| - You will have been overlaying the layout with tweaks until the final review. |
| - He will have been overlaying the video with subtitles throughout editing. | She will have been overlaying the presentation with transitions for hours before the event. |
| - We will have been overlaying the dataset with annotations for weeks. |
| - You (plural) will have been overlaying the interface with accessibility enhancements for the entire sprint. |
| - They will have been overlaying the website with updates since project kickoff. |
Learn how to conjugate the verb ‘overhang’ using detailed tables in our comprehensive guide. From past tense to future forms, explore the essential breakdown of ‘overhang’ conjugation through organized charts.