overtook

Definition of overtooknext
past tense of overtake
as in caught
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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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 overtook Wind and solar power overtook fossil fuels last year as a source of electricity in the EU for the first time, a new report found. Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026 According to a report by Menlo Ventures, as of mid 2025, Claude overtook ChatGPT as the most popular chatbot for enterprise-level clients. Martina Di Licosa, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026 Ingle’s view — which is largely represented in the film — was that money and fame overtook boxing in Hamed’s list of priorities. Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026 Last week, Google briefly overtook Apple in market value for the first time since 2019. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Jan. 2026 Among mega-cap stocks, Alphabet overtook Apple as the world’s second-largest company by market value, as investors continued to bet on Google’s leadership in artificial intelligence. Benzinga, Freep.com, 10 Jan. 2026 This week, Alphabet’s market capitalization overtook Apple’s for the first time since 2019. Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026 Acuff overtook Isaiah Joe's 13-game run in the 2018-19 season. Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 6 Jan. 2026 Despite having a plentiful clientele, the bills overtook them in summer 2025, Andrew Perre said. Timia Cobb breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overtook
Verb
  • In 2021, further south in Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and a German national — were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dea.
    Janay Reece, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
  • One rarely gains a sense of what people look like (beyond the son’s bulky physique and shambling movements, in which the mother ‘caught a flash of her brother’).
    Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • However, about a year after Starwood bought the office buildings, the coronavirus outbreak ushered in wide-ranging business shutdowns that chased workers out of their offices over fears about the spread of the deadly virus.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Arsenal's French captain and goalscorer Patrick Vieira (front) is chased by Anthony Gardner of Tottenham during their Premier League clash at White Hart Lane in north London, 25 April 2004.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Among other things, the football team under exceptional coach Chuck Martin reached a bowl game after last season for the ninth time in 10 years, and the women’s basketball team is tied for the MAC lead at 7-0 and 15-4 overall.
    Terence Moore, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • The mediation was scheduled after the two sides officially reached impasse, a legal stage of negotiations that means both sides are no longer able to make progress toward a deal.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overtook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overtook. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.

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