take turns

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

Samantha Estrada At the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey, families used eclipse glasses and took turns at special solar telescopes for a safe look at the partial solar eclipse, as the moon passed between the Earth and the sun. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Players take turns as a buyer and try to evaluate deals from everyone else. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026

The brides kept their jewelry minimal and even ended up taking turns wearing different pieces from Aurate and Chan Luu throughout the weekend. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026

The two organizations will take turns holding the chairman position, which will switch every year. — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take turns

• holofernes
• overturns
• subalterns
• adjourns
• concerns
• discerns
• downturns
• internes
• nocturnes
• returns
• sideburns
• churns