Which one is correct, "overlaps" or "overlaps with"?
- Your vacation period overlaps John's.
- Your vacation period overlaps with John's.
Learn English – Which is the correct usage of the verb “overlap”: “overlaps” or “overlaps with”
grammaticalityprepositionsverbs
Best Answer
You use "overlaps with" if the overlapping is symmetrical -- ie, one side is not somehow eclipsing the other but rather both sides are equal participants in the coincidence. Eg, Fred's schedule overlaps with John's.
You use plain "overlaps" if there is a reasonably clear distinction between the "overlapper" and the "overlappee". Eg, the carpet overlaps the vinyl floor.