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 The Yankees remain the most valuable MLB franchise, but last year the Los Angeles Dodgers overtook it as earning the most revenue. — Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 7 July 2026 In 2021, then-F1 race director Michael Masi incorrectly applied the rules around such a situation and did not let all lapped runners overtake. — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 7 July 2026 Those plans were later overtaken by corporate infighting, lawsuits among family members and executives, and declining finances that ultimately led the gallery to shutter after nearly 80 years. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026 Growing mint in pots prevents it from spreading and overtaking other plants. — The Spruce, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for overtake

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overtake

Verb

One villager had been bitten and is being treated in hospital, while a dozen locals had formed a team to catch the snakes, the Hongxing report said.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
But the rally ended when Hernández’s liner up the middle landed in the glove of Rockies right-hander Jimmy Herget, who just entered the game, catching Kyle Tucker off first base for a double play.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of catch

Verb

The Angels then chased Eovaldi when Logan O’Hoppe walked and Wade Meckler singled, driving in a run as the top of the order came to the plate.

— Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
Muse Spark is chasing what Anthropic and OpenAI are already doing for developers accustomed to agentic coding tools, and Muse Spark doesn’t show major improvements in coding over its competitors’ models, according to benchmarks.

— Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of chase

Verb

Buckhead Heritage, a historic preservation organization, will make a historic building its new headquarters after reaching an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools.

— Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 7 July 2026
Tehran has paused fragile negotiations with the US aimed at reaching a lasting deal to end their conflict during the multi-day funeral for Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike in February, on the first day of the war.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 7 July 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 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of overtake

verb

Example Sentences

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