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.
It’s the grim picture that has overtaken the market in recent months, leading to descriptions of a software apocalypse.
From Barron's
Aged 37, the Bugonia star is the youngest woman ever to earn seven Oscar nominations, overtaking Meryl Streep, who was 38.
From BBC
The stock has fallen 31% over the past three months as optimism around its previous earnings report was overtaken by concern about AI hitting the software sector more generally.
From Barron's
Each was using the new 'boost' and 'overtake' modes, which give more electrical deployment, to pass and re-pass each other in the early laps of the race.
From BBC
I could have overtaken him if we’d had to run much farther.
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.
