Synonyms of took over

took over

verb

past tense of take over

1

as in substituted

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

• substituted
• stood in
• stepped in
• filled in
• covered
• spelled
• subbed
• pinch-hit
• relieved
• doubled (as)
• understudied

2

as in accepted

to take to or upon oneself

took over the responsibility of caring for the animals

Synonyms & Similar Words

• accepted
• assumed
• shouldered
• undertook
• took up
• bore
• embraced
• adopted
• stood by
• endorsed
• advocated
• upheld
• championed
• backed
• acquiesced
• consented
• assented
• espoused
• acceded
• supported
• agreed
• reaccepted
• reassumed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• took back
• refused
• withdrew
• repudiated
• disclaimed
• disavowed
• disowned
• turned down
• retracted
• rejected
• renounced
• declined
• recanted
• abjured
• spurned
• refrained (from)
• abstained (from)
• avoided
• gave up
• abandoned
• bypassed
• relinquished
• forbore
• surrendered
• detoured
• unsaid
• backed off
• forsook
• backed down
• backtracked
• abnegated

3

as in seized

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

• seized
• grabbed
• confiscated
• converted
• occupied
• stole
• claimed
• usurped
• appropriated
• commandeered
• assumed
• preempted
• annexed
• pirated
• invaded
• snatched
• pressed
• expropriated
• arrogated
• attached
• looted
• impounded
• repossessed
• grasped
• sequestered
• preoccupied
• encroached
• infringed
• wrenched
• despoiled
• collared
• peculated
• pillaged
• embezzled
• misused
• misapplied
• trespassed
• wrested
• misappropriated

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of took over

For the first four games of the season, Ovechkin took a back seat as the Washington Capitals’ depth took over. — Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2026

When Harmeet Dhillon took over as the new chief of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division last April, the conservative attorney vowed to radically reshape the storied unit and its mission. — Ryan Lucas, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026

This was the first game that Broncos coach Sean Payton took over playcalling duties and — thanks in large part to the Chargers’ defense — his team fell far short of overwhelming. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

The gamble failed, as Indiana forced an incompletion and took over on downs, despite Nebraska still having two timeouts and the two-minute warning. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026

MacIntyre, a sophomore, took over for usual starter Faizon Brandon last week as Brandon dealt with a troubling shoulder injury and then made the start against the Razorbacks (2-4, 0-3). — ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026

Che cited an Associated Press report that Paxton, the Texas attorney general since 2015, took over 275 out-of-state trips while in office. — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026

The Tigers slowly took over after the first quarter, limiting the Bulldogs to a field goal until the fourth quarter. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026

In a 2021 flight, a HAWC vehicle was released from an aircraft, its booster accelerated it, and a scramjet then took over and drove it beyond Mach 5. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026