take over 1 of 2

verb

Definition of take overnext
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

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2
as in to accept
to take to or upon oneself took over the responsibility of caring for the animals

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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

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takeover

2 of 2

noun

ˈtāk-ˌō-vər How to pronounce takeover (audio)
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
Verb
As of today, multiple Oscar nominee Kennedy will take over Peter Rice‘s old job of Head of Ceremonies and Content for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026 Buckner was a key part of the rebuild that started when coach Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch took over in 2017 and helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl in the 2019 season. — CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
The news comes at an interesting time, with Legendary doing due diligence with Lionsgate after sending the company a takeover offer last week. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026 The investment in the Hollywood studio also comes as Lionsgate is the subject of persistent M&A chatter as a possible takeover target. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for take over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take over
  1. substitute
  2. accept
  3. seize
  4. seizure
  5. stand in
  6. assume
  7. occupy
  8. appropriation
Verb
  • For the dirt topping, feel free to follow your imagination and taste, substituting or replacing any of the ingredients with your favorite chocolate cookies or treats while still keeping the visual appearance of a varied, crumbly soil.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Thompson didn’t play in the fourth quarter until being substituted in for the final 10 seconds of the contest.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • Based on the information Bhengura provided on a form, his application to register to vote was accepted, and he was successfully registered to vote in Texas, according to the indictment.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the Abrahamic religions—the largest of which are Christianity, Judaism and Islam—are largely accepting of the idea that conscious life might exist that isn’t human, but none of these religions are monoliths.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of accept
Verb
  • Weafer said Russia may be seizing control of foreign companies in anticipation of a deal to secure Russian assets frozen abroad.
    — David McHugh, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Italian authorities seized the sailboats, and the activists were reported to prosecutors for allegedly disrupting a public service.
    — Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of seize
Noun
  • Marine mammals with domoic acid toxicosis often suffer from brain damage and seizures.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Lead poisoning can cause brain swelling, trouble breathing, weak muscles, dehydration, starvation, kidney and liver problems, or seizures, Young explains.
    — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of seizure
Verb
  • Proposition 41 would block new taxes that exclude revenues from state spending limits, while Proposition 42 would stand in the way of new taxes on' personal property or past activities.
    — Justin Papp,Caleigh Keating,Garrett Downs,Kevin Breuninger,Dan Mangan, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
  • See where the balance of power stands in Congress when polls close.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of stand in
Verb
  • One where experiential equity is built in from the beginning, where disabled fans are assumed to be an integral part of the audience, and where live music becomes more expansive.
    — Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Instead of assuming that alien civilizations must communicate through elaborate messages, scientists could first look for signals whose patterns appear deliberately different from their natural surroundings.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of assume
Verb
  • According to the researchers, formation accounts for roughly one-third of battery production costs and occupies about a quarter of a manufacturing facility’s floor space.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Gaga’s former penthouse is a corner duplex occupying the top two floors of the building.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of occupy
Noun
  • Unlike most educational funding, the FSTC isn’t a legislative appropriation.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 protects lawmakers’ decisions against presidential efforts to ignore congressional appropriations.
    — Stephanie A, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of appropriation

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takeover
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Cite this Entry

“Take over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take%20over. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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