take turns

idiomatic phrase

variants also British take it in turns

: to do something one after another in regular succession in order to share the responsibility or opportunity of doing it : alternate

We take turns washing the dishes.

Almost immediately, Rick and Diane begin videotaping their classroom lessons, letting their students take turns with the cameras.

—Ann Bradley

Several youths were around the phone, taking it in turns to gossip and joke with the operator.

—Christopher Isherwood

Examples of take turns in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet for two years, until he was fully mended, the other morans would take turns slaughtering animals to nourish him. —Nurith Aizenman, NPR, 12 May 2024

As some of us rested, others took turns reporting and venturing out to document the encampment on the lawn. —Hoda Sherif, TIME, 10 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above