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
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 taking over
So, what happens when strong personalities inside the family start taking over the steering, with the other members left in the back seat?
—
David Crown,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Lynne Fitzpatrick is taking over as CEO of the derivatives exchange CME, making her one of the top women in finance.
—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
2 July 2026
That move was bigger than a warehouse transaction, with Stord taking over Quiet’s former customer base and many employees moving over to the fulfillment provider.
—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
The play transferred to Broadway’s Booth Theatre that year, with Lavin replaced by Judith Light and Rachel Griffiths taking over for Marvel.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
The county is taking over day-to-day oversight of the initiative from United Way.
—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
12 May 2026
Those who aren’t taking over the whole place and enjoy more of a scene can flit over in the island’s speedboat to neighboring Hurawalhi, with its buzzy bar, big gym, and underwater restaurant.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Thomson led Philadelphia to the 2022 World Series after taking over for Girardi, losing to the Houston Astros in six games.
—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Denver Mountain Parks will staff the welcome station at Echo Lake and manage the Mount Blue Sky Recreation Area, taking over that role from the Arapaho National Forest.
—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
14 Apr. 2026
David Crown,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Lynne Fitzpatrick is taking over as CEO of the derivatives exchange CME, making her one of the top women in finance.
—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
2 July 2026
That move was bigger than a warehouse transaction, with Stord taking over Quiet’s former customer base and many employees moving over to the fulfillment provider.
—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
The play transferred to Broadway’s Booth Theatre that year, with Lavin replaced by Judith Light and Rachel Griffiths taking over for Marvel.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
The county is taking over day-to-day oversight of the initiative from United Way.
—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
12 May 2026
Those who aren’t taking over the whole place and enjoy more of a scene can flit over in the island’s speedboat to neighboring Hurawalhi, with its buzzy bar, big gym, and underwater restaurant.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Thomson led Philadelphia to the 2022 World Series after taking over for Girardi, losing to the Houston Astros in six games.
—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Denver Mountain Parks will staff the welcome station at Echo Lake and manage the Mount Blue Sky Recreation Area, taking over that role from the Arapaho National Forest.
—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking over
Verb
-
Run an empty load with hot water, substituting white vinegar for detergent.
-
In the present day, when artificial intelligence is taking over much translation work, this 500-year-old conflict reminds us that translation is never a simple matter of substituting one word for another.
Verb
-
The rule was created assuming that could mean harm or illness, and not in-party fighting.
-
For the past few years, conversations around AI adoption have centered around access to tools, assuming technology alone would drive transformation.
Verb
-
Authorities served a search warrant at the rescue on May 1, seizing electronics, business records, financial records, firearms, and other evidence, according to the sheriff.
-
For leadership teams worldwide, this requires striking a careful balance between responding to immediate disruption and seizing arising opportunities to bolster growth.
Verb
-
The abrupt dismantling of USAID has already harmed both vulnerable communities and America’s standing in Africa.
-
Cost per wear does the same job for clothing, with one wear standing in for the ounce.
Verb
-
The executive is no longer simply accepting part of a compensation package.
-
That means engaging in deliberate experimentation, accepting some trial and error around service delivery, pricing, workflows, and talent models.
Verb
-
Egypt brought the calm, cool, collected factors to the shootout, converting on all four attempts from Mahmoud Saber, Rami Rabia, Mohamed Salah and Hossam Abdelmaguid.
-
The key difference lies in the process for converting the fissile material to be bomb usable (chemical reprocessing in the case of plutonium, rather than enrichment, which can be done covertly and in small batches).
Verb
-
Iqnatural Jamaican Black Castor Oil, my go-to for filling in my thinning edges, is on sale for $10 during Amazon Prime Day.
-
Juicy blueberries burst during baking, melding with the fresh peach juices for a gorgeous, saucy filling in this pie.
Verb
-
Four years on from the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has proved remarkably resilient, shouldering sanctions, rocketing inflation, and depleted fiscal reserves.
-
Those states whose food-stamp programs exceed that threshold will be on the hook for shouldering more of the program's costs starting in October 2027.
Cite this Entry
“Taking over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20over. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
