1
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
I'll take over for her until she gets back from her morning break
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to accept
to take to or upon oneself
took over the responsibility of caring for the animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
students protesting the war took over the college's radio station
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in seizure
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the new government's high-handed takeover of private industries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of take over
Larry Seward, CBS News, 4 May 2026
On Monday, May 4, the Met Gala 2026 takes over the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
—Vanity Fair, 4 May 2026
Samuel O’Neal April 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
Back in the day, our version of a teen takeover was the annual egg fights on Halloween.
—Louis Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take over
Verb
His team took over the company in December.
—Larry Seward, CBS News, 4 May 2026
On Monday, May 4, the Met Gala 2026 takes over the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
—Vanity Fair, 4 May 2026
Noun
The flurry of changes to the district comes after Licata and the nine-person Board of Managers were appointed by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to lead the district during a state takeover, which was prompted by the district’s years of stagnant academic performance.
—Samuel O’Neal April 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
Back in the day, our version of a teen takeover was the annual egg fights on Halloween.
—Louis Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take over
Verb
-
These changes were to be achieved by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasing the consumption of meat and eggs, and substituting nonfat milk for whole milk.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of simply accepting defeat, the United States upscales its ambitions to establish a permanent presence on the lunar surface.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
-
Prosecutors also alleged that, in return for that pressure campaign, Diamantis accepted $95,000 in bribes from Helen Zervas, an optometrist, and her fiancé, former state Democratic lawmaker Christopher Ziogas.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Verb
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That collapse is spurred not just by Napoleon, but also outside pressure from the human-run Pilkington Corporation, intent on reclaiming the freedom that these precious cartoon animals just seized.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Following the seizure of two of its vessels by Iranian naval forces, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) unveiled a new service between Europe and the Middle East designed to avoid the Strait of Hormuz entirely.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
-
In January, police made their biggest seizure of cocaine at sea from a ship that was carrying almost 10 tons of the drug.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The Airelles Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez will be filmed as the White Lotus du Cap, and the historic Hotel Martinez on the Croisette in Cannes will stand in as the White Lotus Cannes.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
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In January, after his surprising decision to fire Harbaugh, Bisciotti stood in the line of fire, owning the decision during a lengthy press conference that, because of the owner’s candor, was largely well received.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
California’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 assumes a steep drop in driving.—
Aaron Cantú,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Many programs rely on standardized intervention lists, assuming similar outcomes across suppliers when every facility operates under its own set of constraints, meaning what succeeds in one place could prove a bust in another.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nonetheless, Israel has continued to strike deep within Lebanon, and its army occupies much of the country’s south.—
Sarah Tamimi,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
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More commonly, prescribed burning is halted because Forest Service staff are occupied fighting wildfires.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Republicans circled back on the two-pronged plan to fund immigration agencies through reconciliation and the rest of DHS through the traditional appropriations process.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The lapse in appropriations left thousands of DHS staffers working without pay for weeks, including TSA officers.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Take over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take%20over. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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