If you overtake a vehicle or a person that is ahead of you and moving in the same direction, you pass them. When he eventually overtook the last truck he pulled over to the inside lane The red car was pulling out ready to overtake
If an event overtakes you, it happens unexpectedly or suddenly. Tragedy was shortly to overtake him, however. = befall
If someone or something overtakes a competitor, they become more successful than them. Sales are booming in Japan, which has overtaken Britain as the Mini's biggest market