superimpose

verb

su·​per·​im·​pose ˌsü-pər-im-ˈpōz How to pronounce superimpose (audio)
superimposed; superimposing; superimposes

transitive verb

: to place or lay over or above something
superimposed images
superimposition noun

Did you know?

Superimposition was one of the magical effects employed by early filmmakers. Using "mirror shots", with semitransparent mirrors set at 45° angles to the scene, they would superimpose shadowy images of ghosts or scenes from a character's past onto scenes from the present. Superimposing your own ideas on something, such as a historical event, has to be done carefully, since your ideas may change whenever you learn something new about the event.

Examples of superimpose in a Sentence

A triangle superimposed on an inverted triangle forms a six-pointed star.
Recent Examples on the Web In a purposefully photoshopped ad for her mocktail brand Betty Buzz, an image of Lively was superimposed over a pool background with her hands enlarged and a lemon floating in the air. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2024 Trending on Billboard Fallon then held up the album’s moody cover, which features a silhouette of Zayn’s face superimposed with an image of a space below a set of stairs in a home, and announced that the single is out on Friday (March 15), with the LP following on May 17. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024 Social-media posts showed visitors to Moscow’s Red Square and Russian embassies in London and D.C. superimposing a hollow replica of Vladimir Putin’s portrait—dripping with blood donated by Molodkin’s Ukrainian friends—on their surroundings. Nadia Beard, The New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2024 Image of Robert Card, suspect in the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, is superimposed on picture of law enforcement personnel continuing their investigation outside one of the shooting locations, Schemengees Bar & Grille, on Oct. 27, 2023. CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 At the end, the younger Kennedy’s face was superimposed over his uncle’s. TIME, 12 Feb. 2024 Two different realities or images stood superimposed in my mind. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 4 Jan. 2024 The song arrives alongside a music video directed by Alex Ross Perry, in which the singer-songwriter’s face is superimposed on the faces of characters in old film and TV clips. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2024 The Deadpool actor and Travis Kelce's face are superimposed on Lively and Swift's in an edit from digital creator karthiknjartist. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 4 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'superimpose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of superimpose was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near superimpose

Cite this Entry

“Superimpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superimpose. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

superimpose

verb
su·​per·​im·​pose ˌsü-pə-rim-ˈpōz How to pronounce superimpose (audio)
: to place or lay over or above something
superimposition noun

More from Merriam-Webster on superimpose

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