overtake

verb

over·​take ˌō-vər-ˈtāk 

overtook ˌō-vər-ˈtu̇k  ; overtaken ˌō-vər-ˈtā-kən  ; overtaking

transitive verb

1

a

: to catch up with

b

: to catch up with and pass by

2

: to come upon suddenly

Synonyms of overtake

• catch
• chase
• reach

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

Messi led the race through the group stages and overtook Mbappe following his goal against Cape Verde in the Round of 32. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026

The sport saw a 60% rise in viewership between 2018 and 2024, while a study by The Economist, released in May, indicated that soccer is now the third-most popular sport in America, overtaking baseball and trailing just football and basketball. — Idaho Statesman, 13 July 2026

Most of the dead, many believed to be foreign residents, were overtaken while fleeing despite shelter-in-place orders, as more than 1,400 people were evacuated. — Sergio Rodrigo, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Veteran Mathieu van der Poel rode hard and put Jasper Philipsen at the front with 250 meters to go, but Philipsen could not sustain his attack and was overtaken by Merlier. — ABC News, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from over entry 1 + taken to take

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for overtake

• rattlesnake
• shiitake
• undertake
• wapentake
• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake

Kids Definition

overtake

verb

over·​take ˌō-vər-ˈtāk 

overtook -ˈtu̇k  ; overtaken -ˈtā-kən  ; 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