TOOK OVER Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

took over

verb

past tense of take over

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

as in accepted

to take to or upon oneself took over the responsibility of caring for the animals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of took over Manuel took over for Dave Brandon, a Domino’s Pizza executive who alienated a lot of Michigan fans with his slick marketing schemes. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Northrop’s SpaceLogistics division took over the commercial portion of the program the following year and completed development of the spacecraft. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026 Wes Streeting, whose resignation as health secretary in May helped topple Starmer, took over the defense portfolio. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 Novella took over the Garden House space after owner Jordan Fox decided to step back. — Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 When Rogers, the first Black woman to serve as the White House’s social secretary, was fired from her role, Burnough took over in the interim. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026 Detectives with the Lincoln Police Department and a crime scene investigator took over the investigation, with assistance from investigators from the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026 The Coast Guard took over operations of the nation’s lighthouses in 1939, and by the early 1990s, most were automated. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 Boston is also now 31-31 since Tracy took over as interim manager, and with Baltimore’s 5-2 loss to the Cubs, the Red Sox have moved out of last place for the first time since May 23. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for took over

Verb

If entry-level consultants, lawyers, and financial analysts were being systematically substituted out at the pace Amodei described to 60 Minutes in November 2025, McCrory’s occupation-level unemployment data should already show some divergence.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2026
Romero started in central defence for Argentina in their 1-0 defeat after extra time by Spain in the World Cup final, but was substituted in the 70th minute with an injury.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of substituted

Verb

The probes included two public hearings and the USTR accepted over 2,100 public comments from concerned parties and industry stakeholders before announcing its decision to move forward with the duties on Thursday.

— Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 23 July 2026
In January, that site accepted the first physical delivery of HALEU feedstock distributed through a DOE supply initiative.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 July 2026

Definition of accepted

Verb

The national retailers who seized the opportunity, in turn, helped make the neighborhood still more attractive to affluent newcomers and investors.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
Tom Slingsby took the bull by the horns and seized an early lead to take a vital victory in Australia’s first heat.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 26 July 2026

Definition of seized

Verb

Keynes assumed that once material scarcity eased, human beings would naturally turn towards the art of living.

— Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
All because voters assumed that simply reaching the SEC Championship Game and beating Georgia was an unimaginable accomplishment.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of assumed

Verb

His teacher grabbed him and ran him bleeding down the halls, in circles, screaming through the school until help caught up.

— Gabriel Winslow-Yost, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
Bryan Kohberger’s innocence claim and the smoky skies of Boise grabbed the attention the past two days.

— Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026

Definition of grabbed

Verb

The White man, his sinewy, tattooed arms already beet-red from the sun, shouldered the cross from the center beam.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
A couple of residents initially shouldered the bulk of maintenance duties themselves, such as storing, moving and refilling the self-watering tanks.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026

Definition of shouldered

Browse Nearby Words

took out

took over

took ship

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“Took over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20over. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of took over

verb

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