1
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
I'll take over for her until she gets back from her morning break
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to accept
to take to or upon oneself
took over the responsibility of caring for the animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
students protesting the war took over the college's radio station
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in seizure
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the new government's high-handed takeover of private industries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 take over
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
More… By hook or by crook, even with new owners Skydance bound to take over Paramount this year, there will be a fourth Sonic the Hedgehog with the studio dating it for March 19, 2027.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2025
Tim Treadgold, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
The takeover led to a 71-day standoff with federal agents and lasting tensions between the movement and the government.
—Betsy Klein, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for take over 
Verb
The compositions prioritize headspace for the sky to take over the frame during exterior shots, communicating Rico’s feeling of insignificance against the immensity of what burdens him.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
More… By hook or by crook, even with new owners Skydance bound to take over Paramount this year, there will be a fourth Sonic the Hedgehog with the studio dating it for March 19, 2027.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2025
Noun
Her first move was the takeover two years ago of Warrego Energy which is half owner of a significant gas discovery called West Erregulla beating another Australian billionaire, Kerry Stokes, who controls Beach Energy, to the prize.
—Tim Treadgold, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
The takeover led to a 71-day standoff with federal agents and lasting tensions between the movement and the government.
—Betsy Klein, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for take over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take over
Verb
-
In some cases, those in power manage to substitute kleptocracy and state violence for administration; for instance, in Venezuela, where first Hugo Chávez and then Nicolás Maduro destroyed a prosperous and functioning state.—
Russell Muirhead,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Even more significant, substituting fish was associated with a 28% lower risk and chicken with a 16% lower risk of dementia.—
Emily Cegielski,
Flow Space,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
That gets answered easily, because there is always a Producer – the same person who should be accepting the Oscar for Best Picture should the movie win that accolade.—
Cathy Schulman,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2025
-
Overwhelmed by the futility of purchasing a home in South Pasadena, where Alexis’ family had been a longtime part of the community, the couple accepted.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Yemen's Houthi rebels announced on Wednesday the release of the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a commercial vessel seized in November 2023 during their campaign in the Red Sea.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, land Israel seized in the 1967 Middle East war.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Russian President Vladimir Putin's seizure of Crimea, combined with his ambitious modernization program for Russia's armed forces, had to change how the U.S. government viewed Moscow.—
Patrick Reevell,
ABC News,
17 Jan. 2025
-
In Kansas City, just one seizure last year netted enough fentanyl to potentially kill more than 5 million people.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Costco’s stance on DEI stands in contrast to some other major corporations that have scaled back such initiatives, including Walmart, McDonald’s, Google, Meta, Zoom, Ford (F-0.39%), and John Deere (DE).—
Francisco Velasquez,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
-
A day care provider is accused of making a child stand in an alley in freezing temperatures as punishment, Illinois police said.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Kansas City Star,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
When Trump assumed office in 2017, just over 542,000 cases were pending.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
-
During a family dinner, OP's father assumed the baby would be named after OP's late stepmother.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
San Diego Wave has completed the signing of France midfielder Kenza Dali from Aston Villa. Dali, 33, has joined the club on a two-year deal through to 2027 and will occupy an international slot on the Wave’s roster in 2025.—
Ali Rampling,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
-
By then, anti-vaccination protesters had occupied the grounds outside Parliament, and Ardern and her family were threatened with violence.—
Caryn James,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images So, with the blessing of his boss, Rep. Sidney Yates, D-Ill., Alderman inserted some language in the appropriations process: The Committee has provided no funding for crowd counting activities associated with gatherings held on federal property in Washington, D.C.—
Tamara Keith,
NPR,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which subsidizes utility costs for qualifying households, was allocated $3.7 billion as part of an appropriations bill President Joe Biden signed in September.—
J.J. McCorvey,
NBC News,
8 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Take over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take%20over. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share