What does overtaken mean?
Overtaken is the past tense and past participle of the verb overtake, meaning to pass another moving person or vehicle and move ahead of them. It can also describe surpassing someone in achievement, development, or progress, as when a new business is overtaken by a more innovative rival. The word has a further figurative sense: people or organisations can be overtaken by events, meaning that circumstances develop faster than they can respond. In this form, overtake commonly appears in constructions such as 'overtaken by events,' 'overtaken by a competitor,' or 'overtaken on the road.' The expression is especially associated with a sudden reversal or loss of position, whether physical, competitive, or historical.
verb (past participle and past tense)Overtaken means to pass another moving vehicle or person, or to surpass someone or something in progress, performance, or development. It can also mean to be suddenly affected by an event or experience.
- To pass another moving vehicle or person and get ahead of them.
- To catch up with and pass someone or something.
- To surpass someone in progress, development, performance, or status.
- To be suddenly affected or overwhelmed by an event, experience, or development.
- The past tense or past participle of overtake.
"The runner was overtaken by a sprinter in the final hundred metres."
"Her company was overtaken by a competitor that introduced a more efficient production system."
"The changes were so rapid that many traditional businesses were overtaken by events."
A single fast move can change the whole race: to be overtaken is to be passed, while to overtake is to seize the lead.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does overtaken come from?
The verb overtake combines the prefix over- with the older English verb take, with the original sense of catching up with and passing someone. The compound became established in the early modern period, when English regularly formed verbs such as overtake and understand through the combination of prefixes and common verbs. Its development paralleled the older sense of passing a moving person or vehicle, before extending to the figurative meanings of surpassing or being overwhelmed by events.
Related word forms
How overtaken is actually used
In its basic physical sense, overtake usually involves moving past a person or vehicle. In figurative contexts, it can mean to surpass a person in achievement or to be overwhelmed by events; the construction 'be overtaken by' is especially common for the latter sense.
Easily confused with overtaken
Overtake means to move ahead of someone or something, whereas overcome means to succeed in dealing with a difficulty or problem.