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 Somewhere along the line, mobility and strength took over to preserve pitchers’ bodies and keep their arms strong. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 Mallouk took over as majority owner in the winter but offseason roster building plans were long set in motion. — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 When Marilyn Bartlett took over Montana’s state employee health plan in 2014, the plan’s reserves were nearly depleted. — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 Mourinho was hired in June and officially took over in July at the start of the preseason. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 San Bernardino deputies said the Sheriff's Rural Crimes Task Force took over the investigation and asked anyone with tips to send them to law enforcement. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 In 2017, the year Helm took over, the studio took in $120,000 in gross profit, with $134,000 in additional expenses, resulting in losses of about $14,000. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026 Nancy Cartwright took over for Christine Cavanaugh in 2002, voicing Chuckie Finster through the end of the series’ run and reprising the role on All Grown Up! — Madeline Boardman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026 The same year, Death Row Records took over Shakur's contract, and Davis said Combs offered $1 million to kill Shakur and Knight. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for took over

Verb

Their starting lineup has also remained largely unchanged for two games, though David Larrubia did not start against Deportivo, but was substituted in.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Salah, who scored his first goals with his new club over the weekend, was substituted in the second half.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of substituted

Verb

The agreement had been offered last year and accepted by the official who oversees the Pentagon's Guantanamo war court, only to be revoked last August by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin amid criticism of the deal from Republican lawmakers.

— Steve Gorman, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
The sighting still needs to be accepted by the California Bird Records Committee, which reviews and confirms rare bird sightings.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of accepted

Verb

In Montpelier, Vermont, a city that has experienced significant flooding through the years, arborist Joseph Ferris stands next to a giant elm tree that has stood in the state’s capital since the late 1800s.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Back in the box, Cowen stood in front of the whiteboard and updated the jump list.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of stood in

Verb

At the extreme upper end, the study found that a maximum possible prevalence of CTE — if researchers assumed that every former football player had CTE except for the 20 whose brains had definitively been cleared of a diagnosis — was around 97%.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Taylor has quickly assumed a leadership role, with her coach using her as an example of expectations.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of assumed

Verb

But increasing fees will only add to the burden already being shouldered by residents, said Olivier Cale, who serves with Brown on the budget advisory board.

— Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Quarterback McKenzie Milton shouldered the primary burden, assembling a 37-touchdown season that scraped near Heisman talk.

— Noah White, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of shouldered

Browse Nearby Words

took out

took over

took ship

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Took over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20over. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of took over

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes