1
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
I'll take over for her until she gets back from her morning break
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to accept
to take to or upon oneself
took over the responsibility of caring for the animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
students protesting the war took over the college's radio station
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in seizure
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the new government's high-handed takeover of private industries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 take over
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
So all foreign investments, whatever trickles into Pakistan, are in the hands of the military, and the military’s also taken over mining operations in Waziristan.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Analysts see it as a prime takeover target, and several pharma giants have been rumored as potential buyers.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take over
Verb
Mills, 53, became a permanent host for BBC's Radio 2 in the fall of 2022, taking over for fellow DJ Steve Wright's afternoon show.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
So all foreign investments, whatever trickles into Pakistan, are in the hands of the military, and the military’s also taken over mining operations in Waziristan.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
Street takeovers exploded in popularity during the pandemic as people took advantage of quiet streets to stage massive gatherings and perform car stunts.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Analysts see it as a prime takeover target, and several pharma giants have been rumored as potential buyers.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take over
Verb
-
One way to do both is to occasionally substitute tofu, a nutritious curd made from mashed soybeans, for meat in your weekly menu.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The court found the authority had exceeded its authority by substituting its view of the public interest for that of the state Legislature.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Detectives said two girls accepted the ride and told the suspect their destination.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
IDs from other states are not accepted.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tisch said since Janury, police have seized more than 1,000 guns across all five boroughs, including 300 in Brooklyn alone.—
Adi Guajardo,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The other option is to take control of the Strait of Hormuz by seizing a small island in the Strait that has an airport.—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Bianco previously said that the investigation — and the seizure of more than 650,000 ballots cast in the November election — was legal and approved by a Riverside County judge.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
His serious health issues began in 2023 — loss of appetite, shaky hands, chills, severe anxiety, recurring nightmares and small seizures during sleep.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The machine stood in its own room, looking stark and alone.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The resort stands in a prime oceanfront position on the southern edge of pretty San José del Cabo, just a 20 minutes’ drive from Los Cabos International Airport and 5 minutes from the artsy town center itself.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Gentry has served Charlotte since 1991 and assumed official leadership of the airport in 2021.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
As explained by the bank earlier in the week, its commodities strategists expect Brent crude to average $105 in March, spike to $115 in April, and then gradually retreat to $80 in the fourth quarter, assuming flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain severely disrupted for roughly six weeks.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But all of the 222 guest rooms, which occupy the 23rd through the 30th floors of the towers, offer stellar, unimpeded sight lines.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The property occupies a lot of 12,376 square feet.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yet session after session, the result has been the same — agencies receive their annual appropriations, public outrage over long security lines and flight delays fades, legislation languishes and workers have no guarantees their paychecks won't stop coming again.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Conservative Republicans, however, were against establishing a precedent that allows Congress during the yearly appropriations process to fund some agencies within Homeland Security, but not others.—
Kevin Freking,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Take over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take%20over. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
