took over; taken over; taking over; takes over
: to assume control or possession of or responsibility for
military leaders took over the government
Examples of takeover in a Sentence
Noun
The government experienced a military takeover in 2002.
the new government's high-handed takeover of private industries
Verb
I'll take over for her until she gets back from her morning break.
took over the responsibility of caring for the animals
Recent Examples on the Web
Julia Avant, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
The hope of one day inheriting Cal’s construction empire was part of what motivated Nate to act so … violently in high school, but without the context of how that takeover happened, his success strains credulity.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
After Bendar left the bench, assistant Dave Hakstol took over most duties while fellow assistant Nolan Pratt communicated heavily with Colorado’s defensemen.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for takeover
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.
Noun
Craig says he's disturbed by how frequently these teen takeovers are happening with teens still being in school and is calling on police to take a more proactive approach.
—Julia Avant, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
The hope of one day inheriting Cal’s construction empire was part of what motivated Nate to act so … violently in high school, but without the context of how that takeover happened, his success strains credulity.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Another response was to drive forward the sectarian religion of the Jesus cult, and that’s where the Pauline initiative took over.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
After Bendar left the bench, assistant Dave Hakstol took over most duties while fellow assistant Nolan Pratt communicated heavily with Colorado’s defensemen.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for takeover
Cite this Entry
“Takeover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/takeover. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
takeover
noun
take·over
ˈtāk-ˌō-vər 
: the acquisition of control or possession (as of a corporation)
a hostile takeover
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
