take 1 of 2

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as in to accommodate
to make or have room for I think we can take two more in this elevator

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as in to work
to produce a desired effect it will be a few hours before this medication takes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to receive
to offer entrance (as to a place, school, or privilege) to the school takes only a small percentage of the thousands of applicants

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take

2 of 2

noun

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as in reaction
action or behavior that is done in return to other action or behavior what's your take on the announcement that the senior vice president is taking an early retirement?

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as in yield
the total amount collected or obtained especially at one time who will win the poker tournament and collect the whole take?

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as in share
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group because there were so many winners of the jackpot, each person's take will be smaller than expected

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as in interpretation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play) despite its contemporary setting, this take on King Lear isn't particularly novel or insightful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word take different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of take are clutch, grab, grasp, seize, and snatch. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

In what contexts can clutch take the place of take?

In some situations, the words clutch and take are roughly equivalent. However, clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How are the words grab and snatch related as synonyms of take?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

Where would grasp be a reasonable alternative to take?

While the synonyms grasp and take are close in meaning, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

When is seize a more appropriate choice than take?

While in some cases nearly identical to take, seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

How do snatch and seize relate to one another, in the sense of take?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of take
Verb
Khloé Kardashian is taking a page out of sister Kylie Jenner's playbook and revealing every cosmetic procedure she's done over the years. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025 After Musk has railed against Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill in recent days, as GOP leaders struggle to get it across the finish line, the president took the opportunity to lash out at him. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Noun
Neither take opposition full-backs on frequently (Tel is slightly higher at 1.57 successful take-ons per 90, compared to Mbeumo’s 1.37), preferring to do their damage with moments of quality around the box. Elias Burke, New York Times, 20 June 2025 Science with a Human Face The McClintock Letters aren’t about policy details or partisan takes. John Drake, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take
Verb
  • The Mariners hold a 5 1/2-game game over the Royals in the AL Wild Card standings.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2025
  • Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority, face united Democratic opposition − and the defection of at least two of their own members.
    Olivia Munson, USA Today, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • With a sateen-weave finish, the sheets and pillowcases have a silky feel and a temperature-regulating design to help sleepers stay cool at night.
    Jenny Berg, Vogue, 29 June 2025
  • Paul Goldschmidt had one of just three Yankees hits in Saturday’s 7-0 loss to the A’s, but that didn’t stop him from sharing some self-depreciation after the game.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • Daniels gets his guy Aiyuk, who's the younger, and potentially better receiver.
    Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
  • As New York closed in on Tuesday's vote, more investors got nervous as the polls showed Mamdani was leading.
    Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • And the God, who is an omnipotent God, in many ways become impotent, because God has given us the gift to choose.
    Scott Simon, NPR, 28 June 2025
  • There weary shoppers or passersby can choose from more than 200 types of 100 percent Arabica specialty coffees from 35 countries.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Similarly, even before our government pulled U.S. products from liquor stores, many Canadians had stopped buying American.
    Stephen Marche, The Atlantic, 1 July 2025
  • When the officers did not buy his story, Brown then claimed the home belonged to his grandparents, police said.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • In this kind of extreme heat — and in a world growing hotter every year — communities need reliable access to safe, free drinking water.
    Rachel Bustamante, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2025
  • Though not a formal cancellation, if ABC does eventually want Doc Od to return, producers would need to re-sign all lead actors to new deals.
    Claire Franken, TVLine, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • There is no requirement under HB 46, or any prior Texas law, for employers to accommodate the use of medical marijuana.
    Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Guests with food allergies or dietary concerns are accommodated, too.
    Susan B. Barnes, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • The faculty is brimming with principal players from leading orchestras from across the U.S. Yoyo and Jun have been looking forward to working with all the teachers, especially the experts on their instruments.
    Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
  • Why not bring that fresh-start-to-the-day feeling to work by spritzing on the eau de parfum before reporting to duty?
    Jenny Berg, Allure, 6 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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