1
as in substituting
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 assuming
to take to or upon oneself
took over the responsibility of caring for the animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seizing
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taking over
How to Stop Them Prevent grubs from taking over your yard this spring by adjusting your watering schedule.
—
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
When taking over Credit Suisse, UBS fully committed to getting the investigation back on track and has since taken extensive steps to facilitate Barofsky’s review, Karofsky said.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
Another wrinkle is that Harbaugh faces competition for his former Ravens staffers with Monken landing in Cleveland and Jesse Minter taking over in Baltimore.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Harbaugh, who also worked with Reid in Philadelphia, is taking over the Giants after 18 seasons as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Belichick also was one of the game's top defensive assistants before taking over in New England, winning two earlier Super Bowls as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
—CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
First, there’s La Réserve Firenze, which is taking over a 15th-century palace in the city’s ever-buzzy Oltrarno district, just a few minutes’ walk from the centre, but mercifully removed from the high summer tourist scrum.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Under the Netflix plan, the split would still happen within the next six to nine months, prior to Netflix taking over the studio and streaming side of the media giant.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Back in 1999, Edelman was on the cusp of taking over the PR firm founded by his father Daniel.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
When taking over Credit Suisse, UBS fully committed to getting the investigation back on track and has since taken extensive steps to facilitate Barofsky’s review, Karofsky said.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
Another wrinkle is that Harbaugh faces competition for his former Ravens staffers with Monken landing in Cleveland and Jesse Minter taking over in Baltimore.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Harbaugh, who also worked with Reid in Philadelphia, is taking over the Giants after 18 seasons as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Belichick also was one of the game's top defensive assistants before taking over in New England, winning two earlier Super Bowls as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
—CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
First, there’s La Réserve Firenze, which is taking over a 15th-century palace in the city’s ever-buzzy Oltrarno district, just a few minutes’ walk from the centre, but mercifully removed from the high summer tourist scrum.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Under the Netflix plan, the split would still happen within the next six to nine months, prior to Netflix taking over the studio and streaming side of the media giant.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Back in 1999, Edelman was on the cusp of taking over the PR firm founded by his father Daniel.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking over
Verb
-
Researchers avoided contaminating the samples with other plastics by substituting standard tools with those made of aluminum, cotton and other non-plastic material, the release noted.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
1 Mar. 2026
-
These releases did not grant full freedom but rather are a precautionary measure substituting imprisonment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That changed a bit on a sunny Saturday in San Francisco, the contest assuming a smidgen of campaign heat — chanting crowds, sign-waving supporters, call-and-response from the audience — as the state party held its annual convention in this bluest of cities.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The mayor is expecting to distribute the payments before the end of March, assuming the ordinance passes both its first and final readings, with a final vote anticipated on March 10.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After the Richmond killings, police served search warrants at Fluker and Westbrook’s homes, seizing seven guns and other items related to the investigation, the complaint says.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2026
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These concerns grew acute in August 2024, when Ukraine launched its first offensive across the border into Russia, seizing a large chunk of territory in the region of Kursk.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The result has also called into question Labour’s decision to block Andy Burnham, the hugely popular Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester who is seen as a potential leadership rival to Starmer, from standing in the election.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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On a power play, Cale Makar fired a shot on net, where Sam Reinhart was standing in front of the Finnish goalie.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Texas Legislature in 2011 outlined that the commission cannot do anything beyond appointing, accepting the resignation of or recommending the termination of the county’s election administrator.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Feb. 2026
-
JaJuan Kelly, 25, was sentenced Thursday after accepting a plea deal that saw Alameda County prosecutors toss multiple charges of assault with a firearm in favor of a single count of possession of a firearm by a felon.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dallas pushes to keep the team West said Dallas remains in active talks with the franchise about staying at American Airlines Center, including discussions about converting the building into a hockey‑specific venue.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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The labor-intensive process of converting play calls into diagrams has also proven to be a fertile learning ground for the crop of coaches that have come up under them.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To achieve a more natural look when filling in your brows, think vertical (or at a 45 degree angle at the very most)—never horizontal.—
Lottie Winter,
Glamour,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Abdullah had been filling in for another doctor that day.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For many suppliers, sharing—even shouldering—the tariff increase was a given.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Art historian Christophe Leribault, a veteran museum director, is taking over at the Louvre, shouldering the challenge of getting the world’s largest museum out of crisis after the brazen heist in October of the French crown jewels.—
John Leicester,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taking over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20over. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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