as in catching
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
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Recent Examples of overtaking
The shipyard just unveiled plans for its new 237-foot vessel, overtaking the brand’s previous record holder, Sparta, by 17 feet.
—
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 2 June 2026
Anthropic has surged on enterprise demand and its Claude Code franchise, overtaking OpenAI's valuation for the first time.
—Alicia Park, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The Canton finished with 74 points after wrestling with Melrose for first, eventually overtaking them for good.
—Hannah Hughes, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Over time, betting started overtaking his daily activities.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Azaleas range in size depending on the variety—make sure to check maturity size and spacing requirements before planting to prevent large selections, like Southern Indian hybrids that can grow up to 8-10 feet tall, overtaking a sizable section of your landscape.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
From blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 1 to Knicks fans overtaking one of the league’s best home-court advantages Monday night and serenading their favorite players while New York built a 29-point lead in the first half, the entire spectacle was jarring to watch.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Busch celebrated his 36th birthday at Kansas in May 2021 with a Saturday night double-overtime Truck Series victory in the Wise Power 200, overtaking Ross Chastain for his third trucks win at the track.
—Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Napoleon Solo, a horse that entered with 7-1 odds and had finished fifth in his last two races, won the Preakness on Saturday, overtaking the favorite Taj Mahal down the stretch while also holding off another strong contender, Iron Honor.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 May 2026
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 2 June 2026
Anthropic has surged on enterprise demand and its Claude Code franchise, overtaking OpenAI's valuation for the first time.
—Alicia Park, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The Canton finished with 74 points after wrestling with Melrose for first, eventually overtaking them for good.
—Hannah Hughes, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Over time, betting started overtaking his daily activities.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Azaleas range in size depending on the variety—make sure to check maturity size and spacing requirements before planting to prevent large selections, like Southern Indian hybrids that can grow up to 8-10 feet tall, overtaking a sizable section of your landscape.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
From blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 1 to Knicks fans overtaking one of the league’s best home-court advantages Monday night and serenading their favorite players while New York built a 29-point lead in the first half, the entire spectacle was jarring to watch.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Busch celebrated his 36th birthday at Kansas in May 2021 with a Saturday night double-overtime Truck Series victory in the Wise Power 200, overtaking Ross Chastain for his third trucks win at the track.
—Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Napoleon Solo, a horse that entered with 7-1 odds and had finished fifth in his last two races, won the Preakness on Saturday, overtaking the favorite Taj Mahal down the stretch while also holding off another strong contender, Iron Honor.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overtaking
Verb
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The campaign is set on the streets of Los Angeles, catching Cameli in off-duty moments with candid, understated and personal imagery.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
-
Who will emerge as new quarterback Malik Willis’ biggest pass-catching threat?—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
Verb
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With too much demand chasing too little supply, average home prices increased by more than 50 percent from December 2020 to December 2025, more than twice as much as wages increased over the same period.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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So, for borrowers chasing a sub-6% rate, comparison shopping may be the simplest place to start.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
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And the experience of reaching the grand Baroque castle southeast of Paris is just as memorable as the destination itself, thanks to the journey onboard the Joie de Vivre, built specifically for the Seine River.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
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And with no imports reaching the island, Cubans have to eat what’s grown locally, said CiberCuba (Valencia).—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overtaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overtaking. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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