OVERTAKE Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

overtake

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈtāk

Definition of overtake

as in to catch

to move fast enough to get even with she had to hurry to overtake her friends, who had forgotten their umbrellas the thunderstorm overtook them suddenly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fall short

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 overtake Natural gas has overtaken coal as a cleaner, easier-to-burn fuel. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026 Once the most popular social media website in the world, with 115 million visitors per month in 2008, it was quickly overtaken by Facebook and became a relic of the Y2K era. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 9 Aug. 2026 In Saudi Arabia, The Odyssey is Nolan’s biggest film in the market, having overtaken the lifetime of Oppenheimer earlier in the week. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026 Sehwan quickly overtook whatever nostalgia had drawn him there in the first place. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overtake

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overtake

Verb

Also, after the first round, each mini-game has a separate metagame, where one or more players have a secret goal to meet without getting caught.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Many fans have been playing the game for years and aren't necessarily into a radical change on such a huge mechanic like catching passes.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of catch

Verb

Dylan Lee issued a pair of two-out walks in the eighth before getting pinch-hitter Paul Goldschmidt to strike out chasing a heater.

— Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
There was plenty of evidence on this point, the most important being that the Kittrells were being chased by creditors at the time of their transfers and the transfers left them insolvent and unable to satisfy their debts.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of chase

Verb

The back-and-forth suggested the two sides were no closer to reaching an agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

— Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
The price swung between $72 and $102 last month as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach an agreement that would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Middle East again to deliver crude worldwide.

— Frank Andrews, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of reach

Browse Nearby Words

overt

overtake

overtaken

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Overtake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overtake. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of overtake

verb

Example Sentences

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