overtake
verb (used with object)
to catch up with in traveling or pursuit; draw even with.
had overtaken
-
past perfectof overtake.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Even before the pandemic, bottled water had overtaken External link soda as the nation’s most popular beverage by volume after years External link of decline for carbonated soft drinks—a category where demand remains lumpy.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
By the time he was 49, Swaggart had overtaken Robert Schuller and Oral Roberts as the king of television preachers, reaching 2 million households a week and appearing on more than 500 stations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2025
He also took issue with Lamar's position in the hip-hop hierarchy, suggesting other artists had overtaken him.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2025
On Weiss’s position that “censoriousness” had overtaken comedy, Seinfeld argued that “punching down,” or attacking someone in a position of less power, isn't real.
From Salon ● May 29, 2024
Not one of the eight drivers I had left at Don's Cabin had overtaken me.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
