take after

verb

took after; taken after; taking after; takes after

transitive verb

: to resemble (someone) in features, build, character, or disposition

a daughter who takes after her mother

"That's Tulliver's son," said the publican to a grocer standing on the adjacent door-step. "Ah!" said the grocer, "I thought I knew his features. He takes after his mother's family."

—George Eliot

"His father was lazy but his mother hasn't a lazy bone in her body, and Peter takes after her."

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

Examples of take after in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Overseas Assets The US could go beyond freezing Iranian government assets and try to confiscate assets already under US jurisdiction, drawing on a step the Bush administration took after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. — Magdalena Del Valle, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

Only 6-1 but fast and athletic, Willis was a third-round pick in a bad NFL Draft for quarterbacks in 2022, the third passer taken after nondescript Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder. — Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026

Miller has long been concerned with some of the actions taken after 9/11, putatively in her name, against Muslims in general. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

And how about the shot Vasquez took after landing the initial punch? — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take after

• hereinafter
• thereinafter
• drafter
• laughter
• rafter
• hereafter
• thereafter