Cover — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈkə-vər/ cov·er

Meaning & Definition of Cover

Cover (verb)

  1. to guard from attack
  2. to have within the range of one's guns, command
  3. to hold within range of an aimed firearm

Cover (noun)

  1. something that protects, shelters, or guards
  2. natural shelter for an animal; also, the factors that provide such shelter
  3. a position or situation affording protection from enemy fire

Cover (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to serve as a replacement usually for a time only

    "a friend covered for me as a hospital volunteer while my family went on vacation"

  2. to form a layer over

    "by morning a foot of snow covered the ground"

  3. to place a protective layer over

    "better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn, not to mention skin cancer"

    similar: screen, shield
  4. to have (something) as a subject matter

    "this section of the book covers kitchen makeovers for the enterprising do-it-yourselfer"

  5. to keep secret or shut off from view

    "covered the foxhole with grass and leaves"

  6. to make one's way through, across, or over

    "we usually manage to cover a lot of ground in a single day"

  7. to pay continued close attention to (something) for a particular purpose

    "I'll cover the reception desk while you take a break"

  8. to drive danger or attack away from

    "covered the wounded soldier until he could be rescued from the downed chopper"

    opposite: assail, assault, attack

Cover (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents

    "where's the cover for the cookie jar?"

    similar: cap, lid, top
  2. means or method of defending

    "provided cover while their comrades ran for safety"

  3. something that encloses another thing especially to protect it

    "put the restaurant menus in clear plastic covers so that they would last longer"

  4. a person or thing that takes the place of another

    "people may only skip their shifts if they find a cover for themselves first"

  5. a raised covering over something for decoration or protection

    "all of the exhibits at the fair are under cover, so the weather won't be a factor"

  6. something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth

    "under cover of friendship the con man insinuated himself in the lives of the unsuspecting couple"

Related Entry: Cover (up) (verb)

Cover (up) is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for cover (up), not for cover.

  1. to keep from being publicly known

    "the governor vainly tried to cover up the growing scandal"

Related Entry: Cover-all (adjective)

Cover-all is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for cover-all, not for cover.

  1. covering everything or all important points

    "a detailed plan for cover-all health insurance"

Related Entry: Cover-up (noun)

Cover-up is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for cover-up, not for cover.

  1. something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth

    "that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder"

Related Entry: Cover girl (noun)

Cover girl is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for cover girl, not for cover.

  1. as in bathing beauty, pinup girl

    opposite: bag, frump, crone, hag, witch

Related Entry: Cover girls (noun)

Cover girls is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for cover girls, not for cover.

  1. as in bathing beauties, pinup girls

    opposite: bags, frumps, crones, hags, witches

Related Entry: Cover-ups (noun)

Cover-ups is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for cover-ups, not for cover.

  1. something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth

    "that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder"

Related Entry: Base (noun)

Base is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for base, not for cover.

  1. an immaterial thing upon which something else rests

    "the firm belief that complete trust between partners is the base of any successful marriage"

  2. a place from which an advance (as for military operations) is made

    "the army's base of attack was kept top secret until the battle began"

  3. a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest

    "the base of the industry is California's Silicon Valley"

  4. the lowest part, place, or point

    "the base of the mountain extends over a huge area"

    "make sure the base of the stove rests evenly on the floor"

    opposite: head, top, vertex
  5. the place from which a commander runs operations

    "the army base is three miles down the road"

    related: home, seat

Related Entry: Break (verb)

Break is a different word from Cover. The synonyms below are for break, not for cover.

  1. to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly

    "hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase"

  2. to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end

    "the final vote broke the deadlock"

  3. to bring to a lower grade or rank

    "the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander"

    near: hire
  4. to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language

    "Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis"

  5. to come to a temporary halt in one's activity

    "she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime"

  6. to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement

    "farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows"

    similar: furrow, plow
  7. to fail to keep

    "had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone"

  8. to find an answer for through reasoning

    "Professor Bates broke the problem when she realized that it was possible to synthesize the necessary compounds"

  9. to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of

    "I broke a tooth on the hard candy"

  10. to stop functioning

    "after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day"

    opposite: start (up)
  11. to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

    "the herd of gazelles broke when they saw the lions racing toward them from the ridge above"

  12. to use up all the physical energy of

    "the trek up the mountain just about broke me"

  13. to become known

    "as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country"

  14. to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts

    "another bad investment could break him"

    similar: bankrupt, bust, ruin
    near: enrich, richen
  15. to come into existence

    "the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking"

    opposite: cease, end, stop
  16. to depart abruptly from a straight line or course

    "the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds"

    similar: cut, sheer, swerve, veer, yaw, zag, zig
    opposite: straighten
  17. to diminish the price or value of

    "distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks"

  18. to go beyond the limit of

    "a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners"

  19. to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below

    "dolphins were breaking all around the boat"

    similar: broach, surface
    related: emerge, rise

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cover

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cover:

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cover

Words with the opposite meaning of Cover:

Near Antonyms of Cover

Word Forms of Cover

Inflections: covered, covering

Derived words: coverable (adjective), coverer (noun), coverless (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Cover

Middle English, from Anglo-French coverir, covrir, from Latin cooperire, from co- + operire to close, cover

First known use: 13th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cover

Words & Phrases Containing Cover

Frequently Asked Questions about Cover

What does "Cover" mean?

"Cover" means to guard from attack. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to guard from attack. It has 14 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cover"?

Other words for "Cover" include fill in, pinch-hit, stand in, step in, sub, substitute, take over and blanket. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cover" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cover"?

There are 289 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cover". Common alternatives include fill in, pinch-hit, stand in, step in, sub, substitute, take over, blanket, carpet and coat.

What is the opposite of "Cover"?

Antonyms of "Cover" include bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show and uncloak. Near antonyms include exclude, omit, disregard and forget.

How do you use "Cover" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cover" in a sentence: "a friend covered for me as a hospital volunteer while my family went on vacation"; "by morning a foot of snow covered the ground"; "better cover your skin with sunblock if you don't want a sunburn, not to mention skin cancer".

Is "Cover" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cover" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Cover" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Cover" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Cover"?

"Cover" is pronounced /ˈkə-vər/ and divided into syllables as cov·er.