overtake

verb

over·​take ˌō-vər-ˈtāk How to pronounce overtake (audio)
overtook ˌō-vər-ˈtu̇k How to pronounce overtake (audio) ; overtaken ˌō-vər-ˈtā-kən How to pronounce overtake (audio) ; overtaking

transitive verb

1
a
: to catch up with
b
: to catch up with and pass by
2
: to come upon suddenly

Examples of overtake in a Sentence

She overtook the other runners and went on to win the race. The sign says “No Overtaking.” Seasickness can overtake passengers when the ship encounters a storm.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This boba chain has more outlets than McDonald’s and Starbucks A budget-friendly drinks giant known for its bubble tea offerings has overtaken McDonald’s and Starbucks as the world’s largest food and beverage chain by number of stores. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025 Financial Implications: Project costs involved in adopting new technologies compared to potential revenue losses if competitors overtake you. Mit Somaiya, Sourcing Journal, 3 Mar. 2025 Wisconsin would pass Maryland for No. 4 by splitting its games, and UCLA (20-9, 11-7) would overtake the Terps for No. 5 by defeating Northwestern on Monday and Southern California (14-15, 6-12) on Saturday. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2025 Think of companies like Blockbuster—sticking with what worked in the past while the streaming age overtook them. Glenn Llopis, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overtake

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from over entry 1 + taken to take

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of overtake was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overtake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overtake. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

overtake

verb
over·​take ˌō-vər-ˈtāk How to pronounce overtake (audio)
overtook -ˈtu̇k How to pronounce overtake (audio) ; overtaken -ˈtā-kən How to pronounce overtake (audio) ; overtaking
1
a
: to catch up with
b
: to catch up with and pass by
2
: to come upon suddenly
a blizzard overtook the hunting party

More from Merriam-Webster on overtake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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