verb
overtake
oh-vuh-TAYK
verb
1
To pass a slower vehicle, runner, or competitor ahead of you.
"He overtook the truck on the motorway."
"The runner overtook her rival in the final lap."
2
To become larger, better, or more important than something else.
"Streaming sales have overtaken physical album sales."
"China's economy overtook Japan's in size years ago."
How to Use Overtake
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo catch up to and pass something or someone.
UK vs US
In UK English, "overtake" is the everyday word for passing another vehicle; American English typically uses "pass" instead.
Common pairings
overtake a car
overtake the leader
safely overtake
Word Forms
overtook past tense, overtaken past tense, overtakes plural, overtakes singular
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Etymology
From Middle English overtaken, built from over- + take, replacing an older verb overnimen with the same meaning.