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
Hard-throwing lefty reliever José Alvarado appeared to be taking over the full-time closer role early in the year, but in May, he got hit with an 80-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test.
—
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Why some troops can't just get fitter Pete Hegseth has made fitness standards a major focus since taking over the Department of War, formerly known as the Department of Defense.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Mills was honored for her performance as Heather Webber on General Hospital, a role she's played since 1980 after taking over for Robin Mattson.
—Stephanie Wenger, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Just like that, New York Comic Con 2025 is underway, taking over the Javits Center from October 9 through 12.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2025
While there wasn’t animosity between Mozeliak and Bloom (who served in an adviser role until taking over the organization this month), the Cardinals’ leadership transition plan was certainly unorthodox.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The Arizona Department of Public Safety major incident division will be taking over the investigation, Bower said.
—Julie Mendes, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Gino Wang, JSerra, QB The sophomore has led the Lions (3-2) to three consecutive wins since taking over as the starer.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
The bots may not be taking over, but the regulators certainly are.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Why some troops can't just get fitter Pete Hegseth has made fitness standards a major focus since taking over the Department of War, formerly known as the Department of Defense.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Mills was honored for her performance as Heather Webber on General Hospital, a role she's played since 1980 after taking over for Robin Mattson.
—Stephanie Wenger, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Just like that, New York Comic Con 2025 is underway, taking over the Javits Center from October 9 through 12.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2025
While there wasn’t animosity between Mozeliak and Bloom (who served in an adviser role until taking over the organization this month), the Cardinals’ leadership transition plan was certainly unorthodox.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The Arizona Department of Public Safety major incident division will be taking over the investigation, Bower said.
—Julie Mendes, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Gino Wang, JSerra, QB The sophomore has led the Lions (3-2) to three consecutive wins since taking over as the starer.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
The bots may not be taking over, but the regulators certainly are.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking over
Verb
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If Calvados apple liqueur is unavailable for the glaze, substituting water works wonderfully.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
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Because of this, nutritionist Leticia Carrera, director of the center Felicidad Carrera, advises always eating pulses with brown rice and substituting the combination for meat two to three times a week—at least.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With Kevin Gausman, José Berríos (assuming elbow health) and Trey Yesavage pencilled into starting spots next year, the Jays have at least two holes to fill.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Without context, you’d be forgiven for assuming that the Elena in question was not another author’s creation, but Messud’s own.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The officer ended up seizing the exempt plates on Farzam’s car, McChesney said.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
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In all those cases, the fund may lack the capital for seizing the opportunity.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Financial roadblocks standing in the way Many are navigating a unique economic moment where both median home and rental prices, for example, have risen at a faster pace than wages for roughly two decades.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
31 Oct. 2025
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The moment, captured from inside the house through a window, shows the unsuspecting laborers standing in the trench as the canine drops the toy directly into their workspace.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Once, there were two sweet kids who came of age in the evangelical purity culture of the 1990’s, a world in which being LGBTQ+ or accepting anyone who was gay was seen as a sin that could send you straight to hell.—
Kelly Foster Lundquist,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
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In 1998, the nonprofit started accepting its first residential patients at 17th and Charlotte.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Inside the hole, that spin makes the ball roll along the cylinder like a mini-pendulum, converting potential energy into spin and then back again.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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One promising route involves converting carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, which can then be transformed into fuels and chemicals using electricity from renewable sources.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Throughout the movie, Lanthimos doles out pieces of backstory in short, dreamlike sequences that unfurl in black and white, artfully filling in the blanks of Teddy’s particular interest in Michelle.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
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Good morning, tech reporter Beatrice Nolan here, filling in for Allie Garfinkle.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, individual coverage topped $9,300, on average, this year, up 5% – with employees shouldering $1,440 of the cost and employers paying the rest.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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By restricting access to safe and effective medical treatments like GLP-1s, policymakers are failing both patients who want to lead healthier lives and taxpayers who often end up shouldering the costs of preventable disease.—
Mario H. Lopez,
Boston Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taking over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20over. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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