take a/its toll
idiom
: to have a serious, bad effect on someone or something : to cause harm or damage
If you keep working so hard, the stress will eventually take its toll.
—often + onToo much sunlight can take a (heavy) toll on your skin.
Her illness has taken a toll on her marriage.
Examples of take a/its toll in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pope Francis says hours spent consuming content every day, whether on smartphones or televisions, can take a toll on health — particularly for young people.
—
Jennifer Earl, CBS News, 20 May 2024
Because that can also take a toll, that performance.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 16 May 2024
Although seeking money at the expense of other goals can take a toll on workers’ well-being, workers need to be cautious of employers who may attempt to exploit their passion for their work by paying less for more effort.
—Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, The Conversation, 15 May 2024
Educators and social pontificators had fretted that academic life would take a toll on young women’s health and, importantly, their feminine appeal and future reproductive capacity.
—Michelle Stacey, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
Long commutes to school mean less sleep, exercise Research suggests that longer commute times to and from school can take a toll on students’ lives.
—Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2024
Furthermore, violence can take a toll on one’s health even if the person is unaware of it.
—Kalen Flynn, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2024
Following my herniation and tracheotomy, things really began to take a toll on me.
—Christy Bullock, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Shooting for two days in the hot Atlanta sun began to take its toll on her.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Jennifer Earl, CBS News, 20 May 2024
Because that can also take a toll, that performance.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 16 May 2024
Although seeking money at the expense of other goals can take a toll on workers’ well-being, workers need to be cautious of employers who may attempt to exploit their passion for their work by paying less for more effort.
—Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, The Conversation, 15 May 2024
Educators and social pontificators had fretted that academic life would take a toll on young women’s health and, importantly, their feminine appeal and future reproductive capacity.
—Michelle Stacey, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
Long commutes to school mean less sleep, exercise Research suggests that longer commute times to and from school can take a toll on students’ lives.
—Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2024
Furthermore, violence can take a toll on one’s health even if the person is unaware of it.
—Kalen Flynn, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2024
Following my herniation and tracheotomy, things really began to take a toll on me.
—Christy Bullock, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Shooting for two days in the hot Atlanta sun began to take its toll on her.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take a/its toll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near take a/its toll
Cite this Entry
“Take a/its toll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%2Fits%20toll. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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