overtook

VERB

catch; pass

Synonyms

STRONGEST

beat befall catch up with engulf outdistance outdo outstrip overwhelm

STRONG

better happen hit overhaul reach strike

WEAK

come upon gain on get past get to leave behind take by surprise

Antonyms

STRONGEST

lose

STRONG

fail miss

WEAK

fall behind

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.

See Examples For:

overtook

For 10 years now — actually, since around the time streaming decisively overtook people’s listening habits — these Beatles releases have made a pretty compelling case for the collectible physical object.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Despite gaining an early lead with ChatGPT, rival Anthropic overtook OpenAI in second-quarter revenue.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

City overtook them at the top and many believed Arsenal would be the main challengers this season after a strong summer's recruitment.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

In 2021, China overtook the U.S. as the world’s top blueberry grower, and by 2025 its annual production was double what it was in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

A video overtook my screen, piercing strobe lights.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin