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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Recent Examples of overtook
And with no buffalo for food, unregulated hunting of everything else overtook the rest of the wild game.
—
Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Apple overtook Samsung as the world's top smartphone seller in 2024, ending its roughly 12-year run atop the market.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
Steph Curry's family film GOAT overtook Wuthering Heights at the weekend's domestic box office.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
In Beijing, Sweden overtook Great Britain for the gold while Canada took bronze.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 21 Feb. 2026
A number of conservative commentators, including Roger Kimball, Peter Wood, and Chris Rufo, maintain that political conformity overtook élite institutions of higher learning and turned every seminar room into some radical struggle session where students dutifully read Karl Marx and bell hooks.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Dreamt up by Handshake, one of Mexico City’s reigning cocktail bars, the mixed drinks were a welcome complement to the food—and though both were assertive in flavor and preparation, neither one overtook the other.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City overtook the work of those at Carrington.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Meta cofounder Mark Zuckerberg overtook Bezos as the world’s fourth-richest person Thursday after Meta’s fourth-quarter earnings exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for quarterly revenue.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Apple overtook Samsung as the world's top smartphone seller in 2024, ending its roughly 12-year run atop the market.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
Steph Curry's family film GOAT overtook Wuthering Heights at the weekend's domestic box office.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
In Beijing, Sweden overtook Great Britain for the gold while Canada took bronze.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 21 Feb. 2026
A number of conservative commentators, including Roger Kimball, Peter Wood, and Chris Rufo, maintain that political conformity overtook élite institutions of higher learning and turned every seminar room into some radical struggle session where students dutifully read Karl Marx and bell hooks.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Dreamt up by Handshake, one of Mexico City’s reigning cocktail bars, the mixed drinks were a welcome complement to the food—and though both were assertive in flavor and preparation, neither one overtook the other.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City overtook the work of those at Carrington.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Meta cofounder Mark Zuckerberg overtook Bezos as the world’s fourth-richest person Thursday after Meta’s fourth-quarter earnings exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for quarterly revenue.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overtook
Verb
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Secure loose outdoor items and adjust plans as necessary so you're not caught outside.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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In 93 career games, Lazard has caught 239 passes for 3,147 yards and 28 touchdowns.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Montgomery chased it for a swinging strike.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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And like so many franchises before it, an endless number of follow-ups chased easy money and diminishing returns.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Asian markets stabilized on Friday after days of volatility while US gas prices have reached their highest level since September 2024.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Anderson says the men have reached an impasse and is asking a judge to dissolve their business connections.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overtook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overtook. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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