overtook

USAGE SUMMARY

"overtook" is a correct word in written English.
It is a verb that means to pass someone or something while moving quickly. Example sentence: The cyclist quickly overtook the car on the highway.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Not only was it Berger's first encounter with Wrynose and Hardknott, but it was also the first and last time he overtook someone on the stretch of road.

The Guardian

The party's internal polling showed crossover – the point at which the Conservatives overtook Labour – occurred in the wake of the party conferences in October, but then Labour clawed itself back into the lead in the first few weeks of the short campaign, possibly by offering reassurance on the deficit and immigration.

The Guardian

The Channel 4 show, aimed at a younger demographic than rival soaps, also overtook ITV's Coronation Street, which remained steady at three violent scenes per hour, and ITV stablemate Emmerdale, up from 2.5 to 4 violent scenes per hour over the same period.

The Guardian

Sorrell argues it is easier to build up overseas revenues that way, but the paper has been in print overseas for many years – its foreign readership overtook its UK readership in print in 1998.

The Guardian

After negotiating his way up and down the steep ascents and descents and round the hairpin bends to the valley, he had already written it off as a place where he might invest in a pub business: "I did Wrynose, I was following a snail and I overtook him and I came down the [Hardknott] pass and thought forget it, I might as well go home, nobody's ever going to come here.

The Guardian

Any positive feelings towards the gang evaporated a few seconds later when they accelerated past, with the first rider giving my arse a good thwack as he overtook.

The Guardian

It overtook the Mirror in 1978 and seemed set fair for continuing sales dominance until the Daily Star was launched and Lamb, after being knighted, fell into the trap of making his paper overly serious, with too many splashes devoted to politics and economics.

The Guardian

But in 2012, personal affairs overtook his career when it emerged that he had been involved in a long-running affair with Paula Broadwell, a married academic and army reserve officer who had been writing a biography of Petraeus, titled All In: The Education of General David Petraeus.

The Guardian

As we overtook rickety old cars on blind corners while Roland played a Kazantip hard house mix CD, we would pass people selling watermelons, red onions and car seats covered in plastic at the side of the road.

The Guardian - Music

Elsewhere, Radio 4's digital sister station Radio 4 Extra, home to classic comedy and drama including Dad's Army and Hancock's Half Hour, overtook Radio 3 and leapfrogged Radio 6 Music to become the most popular digital-only station.

The Guardian

Lenovo of China, which last year overtook HP as the world's leading PC seller, recently bought a low-end server business from IBM.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "overtook" to clearly indicate that one entity has surpassed another, either in a literal or figurative sense. Ensure the context makes the comparison clear.

Common error

Avoid using "overtook" when simply describing parallel actions or unrelated events. The word specifically implies a change in relative position.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "overtook" is as a transitive verb in the simple past tense. It describes a completed action of surpassing or exceeding something or someone. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Formal & Business

18%

Science

14%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overtook" is a grammatically correct and frequently used verb indicating that something or someone has surpassed another. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is commonly found in news and media, formal business contexts, and general writing. When using "overtook", be mindful of the implication of surpassing or exceeding, and ensure the context makes the comparison clear. Consider alternatives like ""surpassed"" or ""exceeded"" depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surpassed

Emphasizes exceeding a limit or boundary, implying a greater achievement.

exceeded

Focuses on going beyond a set limit or expectation.

eclipsed

Suggests overshadowing or diminishing the importance of something else.

outstripped

Highlights the idea of leaving something behind in terms of progress or speed.

bettered

Implies improving upon a previous performance or standard.

outdid

Suggests surpassing someone in a particular action or quality.

trumped

Implies surpassing something, often in a decisive or impactful way.

ascended beyond

Indicates rising above a previous level or limitation.

advanced past

Focuses on moving forward and beyond a certain point or stage.

moved ahead of

Describes progressing to a position in front of something or someone else.

FAQs

What does "overtook" mean?

"Overtook" is the simple past tense of the verb overtake. It means to have moved past someone or something, often implying a change in position or status.

How can I use "overtook" in a sentence?

You can use "overtook" to describe surpassing someone in a race, like "The runner "overtook" his rival in the final lap", or figuratively, such as "The company's profits "overtook" its competitors".

What's a synonym for "overtook"?

Alternatives to "overtook" include "surpassed", "exceeded", or "eclipsed", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to use "overtook" in formal writing?

Yes, "overtook" is a standard verb form and perfectly acceptable in formal writing. However, ensure that your usage is precise and contextually appropriate.