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

Cardrooms have continued to offer blackjack and other banked games such as baccarat by giving players the option to take turns dealing the game and by relying on third-party businesses that employ people to act as bankers. — Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, SIX reimagines the six wives of King Henry VIII as pop stars who take turns telling their stories through a high-energy concert-style musical. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026

Travis and Swift have taken turns playing the supportive partner. — Michael Nied, InStyle, 4 July 2026

Itanare, Flores and Luis Freites Arvilla would then take turns appearing to approach the ATM, insert a card and enter a PIN, withdraw cash, and then repeat the process. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 1 July 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