How to pronounce "overtake" in EnglishNoun
ˌoʊ.vərˈteɪk
oh·vər·TAYK
Primary stress: TAYK
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
No video clips indexed yet for “overtake”
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “overtake”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
oh
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
vər
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
TAYK
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
Primary emphasis falls on the third syllable ("TAYK"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "overtake" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Practice Speaking “overtake”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
The racehorse overtook the lead pack on the last turn.
Hear it in context: “overtake”
The English word “overtake” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˌoʊ.vərˈteɪk (phonetic respelling: oh-vər-TAYK). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (oh · vər · TAYK), with primary lexical stress placed on the 3rd syllable (TAYK). Grammatically, “overtake” functions as a verb, noun and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. Hear native speakers say overtake in context across real video clips
Definition & Meaning: “overtake”
- To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic).
- To become greater than something else in quantity, worth, etc.
- An act of overtaking; an overtaking maneuver.
Example Sentences (2)
- “The racehorse overtook the lead pack on the last turn.”
- “Grocery sales in the north have overtaken those in the south.”
Pronounce: “overtake”
- Pronunciation:
- oh-vər-TAYK
- Syllables:
- oh · vər · TAYK
- Written Hyphenation:
- o · ver · take
- Primary stress:
- TAYK
- IPA:
- ˌoʊ.vərˈteɪk
- Hear it in context
- overtake
Synonyms: “overtake”
Hear words related in meaning to “overtake” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “overtake”
-eɪkWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"overtake" (⁄ˌoʊ.vərˈteɪk⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "overtake" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about overtake
How do you pronounce “overtake”?
“overtake” is pronounced ⁄ˌoʊ.vərˈteɪk⁄ (oh-vər-TAYK). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.
How many syllables are in “overtake”?
“overtake” has 3 syllables: oh · vər · TAYK.
Where is the stress in “overtake”?
The primary stress in “overtake” is on “TAYK”.
What does “overtake” mean?
To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic).
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “overtake”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).