overtake

overtake — verb

1. to grow larger, higher, or more important than another thing.

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to grow larger, higher, or more important than another thing.

Example

By July, online sales had overtaken store sales in our town.

pattern: one figure overtakes another

In some cities, rent has overtaken wages for young workers.

Common collocations
  • overtake wages
  • overtake sales
  • overtake demand
  • overtake costs
  • overtake coal as the main source
Synonyms
  • surpass

    a broad formal-neutral choice for becoming greater or better

  • exceed

    often used for numbers, limits, or amounts

  • outpace

    often stresses faster growth or change over time

Antonyms
  • trail

    to remain lower or less important than another thing

  • fall below

    to be at a lower level than a figure or standard

Grammar Patterns

overtake + sales/costs/figures

overtake + something + as + role

Usage Note

Common with numbers, sales, costs, demand, or importance. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about moving past a person or vehicle in physical space.

Common Mistakes

Online sales overtook than store sales.
Online sales overtook store sales.
do not use 'than' after 'overtake'.
Rent overtook to wages in some cities.
Rent overtook wages in some cities.
the thing that is passed goes directly after the verb.

2. to pass a person or vehicle after coming up behind them.

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to pass a person or vehicle after coming up behind them.

Example

Our bus overtook a truck just before the bridge.

pattern: overtake + vehicle

Cyclists must not overtake on this narrow mountain road.

intransitive warning use: do not overtake

Common collocations
  • overtake a car
  • overtake a truck
  • overtake another runner
  • overtake on the left
  • do not overtake
Synonyms
  • pass

    the broad everyday word, but it does not always stress catching up from behind

  • get ahead of

    more informal and focused on the final position

  • pull ahead of

    often suggests creating a clearer lead after passing

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

overtake + vehicle/person

do not overtake + place warning

overtake + someone/something + on the left/right

Usage Note

Intransitive use is common in road signs and driving rules, especially with 'do not' or 'no'. Distinguish from sense 1, where one amount or trend becomes greater than another.

Common Mistakes

Our bus overtook to a truck before the bridge.
Our bus overtook a truck before the bridge.
'overtake' takes the vehicle or person directly.
The car overtook us and in front of us.
The car overtook us and moved in front of us.
'overtake' already contains the idea of passing ahead.

3. to reach a person or place suddenly and begin affecting them, often in an unplea

3.verbtransitive
Definition

to reach a person or place suddenly and begin affecting them, often in an unpleasant way.

Example

Before dawn, a heavy storm overtook the fishing village.

pattern: unpleasant event overtakes a place

On the long train ride home, sadness overtook Marcus without warning.

Common collocations
  • be overtaken by darkness
  • be overtaken by grief
  • be overtaken by panic
  • a storm overtakes a village
  • debt overtakes a family
Synonyms
  • befall

    more formal and mostly used for something bad happening to someone

  • hit

    more everyday and often more direct

  • overwhelm

    stronger when emotion or pressure makes normal action difficult

Antonyms
  • spare

    to not affect a person or place

  • leave alone

    to not reach or disturb someone or something

Grammar Patterns

overtake + person/place

be overtaken by + darkness/debt/panic/storm

Usage Note

Often used with unpleasant things such as storms, darkness, debt, grief, or panic. The passive pattern with 'by' is common when the affected person is the main topic.

Common Mistakes

Darkness overtook on the hikers.
Darkness overtook the hikers.
the affected people or place are the direct object.
Marcus was overtaken of sadness.
Marcus was overtaken by sadness.
use 'by' in the passive pattern.

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

'Overtake' in sense 2 means catching up with someone or something ahead of you and then moving in front. 'Pass' is the broad everyday word and can describe going by a person, car, or runner, but it does not always stress that you started behind. 'Get ahead of' is more informal and focuses on the result more than the passing moment. 'Outrun' usually suggests greater speed over a distance, especially in running or escape. 'Outpace' is often figurative and is very common for growth, costs, or demand rather than road movement. A car can overtake a truck on a clear road, a runner can pass another runner near the finish, and prices can outpace wages over time.

overtake ↗pass ↗get ahead ofoutpaceoutrun ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • be overtaken by

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishOld NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

Built in Middle English from the prefix 'over-' and the verb 'take'. 'Over-' comes from Old English and adds the idea of moving beyond or above. 'Take' came into English from Old Norse. The earliest uses were about catching up with someone and passing them, and later the verb widened to amounts becoming greater than others and to trouble or emotion suddenly reaching a person or place.