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
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.
ETFs have long been associated with low-cost passive investing, and the decadeslong rise of follow-the-index strategies—along with tax advantages—has helped them overtake mutual funds as the dominant vehicle for new investment dollars in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
Many investors want out of private credit this year, given increased regulatory scrutiny of the sector, concerns about “cockroaches” and fears that AI could overtake the software industry.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
The common thread is that malignant cells overtake the marrow—the tissue that produces white blood cells to fight infection, red blood cells to carry oxygen, and platelets to prevent bleeding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
He does not like the artificiality of the racing with the overtake mode and boost buttons.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
But before he could overtake him, Gollum was gone.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
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.
