Word
overtaken
Phoneticsover·tak·en
US/ˈoʊvɝˌteɪkən/
UK/ˌəʊvətˈeɪkən/
Definition
v. to catch up with and pass someone or something that is moving in front of you. It can also mean becoming more successful or important than someone else.
v. past participle of 'overtake'; refers to the act of catching up with and passing a person or vehicle traveling in the same direction. Often used figuratively to describe surpassing a competitor in quantity, quality, or status.
Examples
“The blue car has overtaken the slow truck.”
“By the end of the decade, the small startup had overtaken its largest rival in total market share.”
“The cyclist was quickly overtaken by the lead group as they began the steep ascent toward the mountain pass, leaving him struggling to maintain his pace in the thinning air.”
Examples
simple
“The blue car has overtaken the slow truck.”
contextual
“By the end of the decade, the small startup had overtaken its largest rival in total market share.”
complex
“The cyclist was quickly overtaken by the lead group as they began the steep ascent toward the mountain pass, leaving him struggling to maintain his pace in the thinning air.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; in the passive voice, it often describes being suddenly affected by a feeling or event.
Real-World Examples
“The triple lock was designed to ensure the value of the state pension was not overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or the incomes of working people.” “It was designed to ensure the value of the state pension wasn't overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or the incomes of working people.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/overtaken