take care

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

Princess Plus® includes Wi-Fi and drinks, and also covers crew appreciation—which means the crew taking care of you is taken care of, too. — Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Sep. 2026

But still, Landry kept her word and took care of it all on her own. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026

Some breeds are more prone to joint injuries, so take care that your pup is in good working order for a long outdoor walk. — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

The Jayhawks soaked up most of the third quarter with another touchdown drive, and Ballard and the backups took care of the rest, much to the delight of PGA Tour star and Kansas alum Gary Woodland, who watched the game from the sideline. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

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