lapped 1 of 2

past tense of lap
1
as in washed
to flow along or against the waves gently lapped the sandy shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in rippled
to move with a splashing motion a stiff breeze that was causing the lake waters to lap against the hull with some force

Synonyms & Similar Words

lapped

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of lap

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 lapped
Verb
Even then, after days of heavy rain, polluted lagoon water lapped at the edges of the city. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026 The laps at Pocono are so long that a car won’t be lapped after pitting if within 10 seconds of the leader. Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 13 June 2026 In a darkly symbolic moment, he was lapped by his own teammate around Lap 54. Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 7 June 2026 The sitting district attorney appears to have lapped her challengers several times over in fundraising. Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas, is an ideal home base for exploring the United States’ closest Caribbean neighbor, thanks to its dreamy beaches lapped by impossibly blue water and resorts ranging from humble to haute. Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026 The rising water lapped at the wheels of the plane. Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026 Luna, the family’s Labradoodle, waddled in and lapped water from the bowl. Literary Hub, 12 May 2026 But it will also be lapped up by anyone who can remember the European package holidays of the 1970s. Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapped
Verb
  • But the rhenium that was bound to the organic carbon gets washed through rivers into the ocean, where it is incorporated into new seabed sediments.
    Howard Lee, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
  • In it, teenage best friends, Claire and Hailey (Levesque), discover a sassy mermaid named Aquamarine washed ashore after a storm.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Kyron flashed a wide, toothy grin toward a camera capturing the moment – an image that would soon be splashed on missing child posters and nightly newscasts across the country.
    Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
  • Paris, Copenhagen, New York, and Los Angeles are awash in the nostalgic pattern right now, where it’s splashed over capri leggings, event dresses, and everything in between.
    Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • To root for #TeamBlack is to know that nothing good can come from impulse, and rueful laughter rippled across the lawn as Jace, eager to fight in his mother’s stead, locks Rhaenyra in her chambers to prevent her from risking her life in battle.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • When the net finally rippled, Yamal dropped to the ground in sujood — an Islamic prostration of gratitude — in a moment that immediately went viral.
    Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • López overlapped with Stearns in Houston, and enjoyed success in 12 seasons as a minor-league manager with the organization.
    Will Sammon, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • But the existence of culture in the hominins that preceded (and sometimes overlapped with) us isn’t really such an extraordinary claim anymore.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • To enter this anniversary uncritically — wrapped in flags and the mythology of manifest destiny — is to be bamboozled.
    Otis Moss III, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
  • Whether they’re smothered in pepper jelly, doused in barbecue sauce, or wrapped in bacon, appetizers are your chance to set the tone and impress your guests (because, let’s face it, nothing beats the satisfaction of compliments on your spread).
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • The two Harpa shows were especially spellbinding, especially an ensemble performance of music from her recent album Where to From, bathed in otherworldly illumination by lighting designer Theresa Baumgartner.
    Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 18 June 2026
  • Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to form a seasonal outlook far from bathed in sunshine.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Since outrage bubbled up in Kenya, some other countries have negotiated shorter terms for sharing data and pandemic specimens, and have inserted additional protections, according to the Public Citizen analysis.
    Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 17 June 2026
  • Even soap prices bubbled up, as key ingredients became harder to source.
    Lauren Rosenthal, Bloomberg, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • The 30-year-old Seattle Sounders star was immediately enveloped in the game as a kid.
    Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
  • These delightfully creamy caramel squares are enveloped in smooth dark chocolate, which provides a perfect juxtaposition to the sweet filling.
    Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 14 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lapped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapped. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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