take over

1 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 fill in, pinch-hit, stand in, step in, sub, substitute, coverRelated Words understudy; relieve, spell; double (as)

2 to take to or upon oneself took over the responsibility of caring for the animals Synonyms accept, bear, shoulder, assume, undertakeRelated Words adopt, embrace, take up; advocate, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), espouse, stand by, support, uphold; accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, consent; reaccept, reassumeNear Antonyms abjure, recant, renounce, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw; decline, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down; abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from); avoid, bypass, detour; abandon, abnegate, forsake, give up, relinquish, spurn, surrender; back down, back off, backtrackAntonyms disavow, disclaim, disown, repudiate

3 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 arrogate, commandeer, convert, expropriate, pirate, preempt, press, seize, appropriate, usurpRelated Words annex, attach, claim, confiscate, impound, repossess, sequester; assume, collar, grab, grasp, snatch, steal, wrench, wrest; despoil, loot, pillage; encroach, infringe, invade, occupy, preoccupy, trespass; embezzle, misapply, misappropriate, misuse, peculate