take care

idiomatic phrase

1

: to be careful or watchful : to exercise caution or prudence

Because fish is more delicate than beef, take care when pounding it thin.

—Sam Gugino

Patients also should take care in storing their drugs because heat exposure could affect their efficacy, [Aaron] Bernstein says.

—Marlene Cimons

—often used informally to express good wishes when parting, at the end of a message, etc.

I'll see you next week. Take care!

2

: to give particular attention to doing or not doing something

When he had finished writing, Cluny pushed the parchment under his pillow, taking care to leave just a small corner of it jutting out.

—Brian Jacques

In this land of ritual, Westerners should take care to inform themselves of protocol.

—Jeff Morgan

Open oysters carefully just before they are required, taking care not to spill the liquor in their deep shells.

—Elizabeth Craig

see also take care of

Examples of take care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jared Clarke, Canadian politician, spoke out about Van Alstine’s case and encouraged the health minister to meet with her about getting her surgery taken care of. —Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

At 6-7, Kansas City sits on the brink of elimination — and the only way to stay on an improbable path to the postseason is to take care of Los Angeles Sunday at Arrowhead. —Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 11 Dec. 2025

Meals are taken care of by Chef Quinten Frye, a James Beard Award semi-finalist who partners with local farms and ranchers. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 11 Dec. 2025

Since most good coats are an investment piece, taking care of them and cleaning them properly will help them last for several winters. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for take care

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware