take exception

idiomatic phrase

: to object to something : to feel or express disagreement with or opposition to something

Domi squirted water at fans from the penalty box and a fan took exception.

—Gregory Strong

While her original tweet was quickly deleted, it was still spotted by other former Ulster University graduates who took exception.

—Mark Bain

—usually used with to

She took exception to the remark.

Many physicists who read this book will take exception to Capra's views on contemporary physics.

—Robert March

Examples of take exception in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov, standing behind Hagel, took exception and gave Hagel a forceful cross-check in the back, sending him lunging forward and drawing both teams into a fracas in the corner of the ice. —Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

Leipold took exception to the tradition — which is penalized under Big 12 rules — and blasted the league office’s handling of the matter postgame. —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2025

Branch refused Mahomes' offering, to which Smith-Schuster took exception. —Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025

Bednarek took exception and gave Lyles a shove in the back. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take exception

• intussusception
• proprioception
• apperception
• contraception
• interception
• misconception
• misperception
• preconception
• conception
• deception
• inception
• perception