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
- unovertaken adjective
Etymology
Origin of overtake
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English overtaken; over-, take
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.
This has meant the removal of the DRS overtaking aid - because the rear wing is opening for a different reason.
From BBC
New Zealander Finn Allen capped off a brilliant season by overtaking David Warner's 433 runs to finish as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 466 after his swashbuckling 36 off 22 balls.
From Barron's
Celtic are 23rd in the 36-team table but could be overtaken by a handful of sides playing later on Thursday.
From Barron's
"It may look a little weird that one car can overtake so easily another car," Stella said.
From BBC
He’d just put as much distance between them and Momma Bear as he could before his exhaustion had overtaken him.
From Literature
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.
