overtake
Americanverb (used with object)
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to catch up with in traveling or pursuit; draw even with.
By taking a cab to the next town, we managed to overtake and board the train.
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to catch up with and pass, as in a race; move by.
He overtook the leader three laps from the finish.
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to move ahead of in achievement, production, score, etc.; surpass.
to overtake all other countries in steel production.
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to happen to or befall someone suddenly or unexpectedly, as night, a storm, or death.
The pounding rainstorm overtook them just outside the city.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to move past (another vehicle or person) travelling in the same direction
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(tr) to pass or do better than, after catching up with
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(tr) to come upon suddenly or unexpectedly
night overtook him
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(tr) to catch up with; draw level with
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overtakesimple
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overtakessimple
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have overtakenperfect
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has overtakenperfect
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am overtakingprogressive
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are overtakingprogressive
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is overtakingprogressive
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have been overtakingperfect progressive
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has been overtakingperfect progressive
Past
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overtooksimple
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had overtakenperfect
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was overtakingprogressive
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were overtakingprogressive
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had been overtakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overtake
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English overtaken; see over-, take
Vocabulary lists containing overtake
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although Japan and the Netherlands are the favorites to win the group, Sweden could overtake both with a win, provided the Dutch do no better than a draw.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026
On its third day as a public company, its market value is poised to overtake that of Amazon.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
And unlike the ECB, hope the news flow next Thursday doesn’t overtake him.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
Pratt took an early lead over Raman on election night, but Raman’s numbers improved steadily as mail-in ballots were counted, leading political observers to begin predicting this weekend that she would eventually overtake Pratt.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
There is no way of sending a faster message to overtake them and revise the previous transmission.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
