1
as in substituted
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 accepted
to take to or upon oneself
took over the responsibility of caring for the animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seized
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of took over
The Dutch captured the Portuguese fort in 1605, took over the spice trade, and in 1623 destroyed a British settlement in the Amboina Massacre.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
In jail, Turner took over 400 classes and was working on himself.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Spearheading the journey is CEO Steve Cahillane, who took over at the beginning of 2026 after running Kellogg Company (and later Kellanova) for about eight years.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Gaugh left in 2011 and then rejoined in 2023 when Jakob Nowell took over as lead singer following the winding-down of Sublime with Rome in 2024.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
To her, things really improved only when MacPherson and his partners took over the space and gave it a neo-bohemian lift.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 26 Mar. 2026
Instead of performing from the late-night show’s studio, BTS took over New York City’s Guggenheim Museum to showcase the track, which comes off their new LP, Arirang.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2026
The two hundred and fifty people in residence at Bellevue would be transferred to other shelters this month, and men’s intake would move to a shelter on East Third Street—the same site where it was situated decades ago, before Bellevue took over.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Hartono brothers took over Como in 2019, when the team was playing in Italy’s fourth division.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
In jail, Turner took over 400 classes and was working on himself.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Spearheading the journey is CEO Steve Cahillane, who took over at the beginning of 2026 after running Kellogg Company (and later Kellanova) for about eight years.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Gaugh left in 2011 and then rejoined in 2023 when Jakob Nowell took over as lead singer following the winding-down of Sublime with Rome in 2024.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
To her, things really improved only when MacPherson and his partners took over the space and gave it a neo-bohemian lift.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 26 Mar. 2026
Instead of performing from the late-night show’s studio, BTS took over New York City’s Guggenheim Museum to showcase the track, which comes off their new LP, Arirang.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2026
The two hundred and fifty people in residence at Bellevue would be transferred to other shelters this month, and men’s intake would move to a shelter on East Third Street—the same site where it was situated decades ago, before Bellevue took over.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Hartono brothers took over Como in 2019, when the team was playing in Italy’s fourth division.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took over
Verb
-
No substitutions for prize except by Sponsor, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be substituted.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Weed-and-feeds can be substituted for regular feedings.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fishback had referred to Donalds, his opponent in the Republican primary, who is Black, as a slave because Donalds accepted money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Submissions are being accepted in three categories, from students in grades K-8, high school students, and college and trade school students.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Police said that officers seized a quantity of marijuana and a gun that was later found to have been stolen.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Gangs have since seized control of much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry to request international military support in 2022.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hegseth came out of his own service, in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the seeming conviction that what had stood in the way of a fuller victory in those wars had been the restraints supposedly placed on how soldiers could kill.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In February, Cooper stood in the same spot at Sheriff’s Office headquarters to rail against the parole board’s decision to grant Funston’s release.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And even those who do own their own home aren’t immune—taxes, energy bills, and grocery prices have all surged, quietly eroding the financial cushion many assumed would last decades.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Johan assumed Zack would be going to prison for a long time.—
Rich Schapiro,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shamet was fouled on the play and missed the and-one free throw, but second-year backup big man Ariel Hukporti grabbed the offensive rebound to create a second shot opportunity.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Walmart grabbed 23% of the market share last year, the same as in 2024.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Following his successful year, Ryan Castro has now stepped in as a creative director for Agua Bendita, fully co-creating and shaping everything from the design to the campaign.—
Ingrid Fajardo,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2026
-
As spring break crowds and South by Southwest Conference and Festival travelers packed security lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this week, a local burger chain stepped in with a gesture aimed at the workers keeping the system moving.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That letter cited repair costs shouldered by lower-income residents who own older vehicles that are more likely to fail, plus an average failure rate below 1% for vehicle models released in the last 10 years.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps most impressive, Flagg, the youngest player in the NBA, quietly has shouldered the burden of almost singlehandedly pulling the Mavericks’ fanbase from their depths of post-Doncic trade despair.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Took over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20over. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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