take care of

idiomatic phrase

1
: to attend to or provide for the needs, operation, or treatment of (someone or something)
He is home taking care of a sick child.
Each operator can take care of three machines.
The schoolteacher began to feel like a fifth wheel. Her home was taken care of, and her children were taking care of themselves.Dorothy West
2
: to deal with or do (something that requires effort or attention)
My assistant takes care of all our travel arrangements.
He offered to take care of [=pay] the bill.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Wagner denied Hayden’s requests for an excused absence on a Saturday to attend church and a Sunday to help his wife take care of their disabled daughter. Ben Botkin, oregonlive, 17 May 2023 But the local administrative center was not designed to take care of that kind of business. Tom Margenau, Dallas News, 16 May 2023 The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act, which was introduced by Democrats in 2021, would provide retirement compensation to those who take time off from work to take care of children, elders or others. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 May 2023 The pui yuet also cares for the mother with massage, body wraps and lessons on how to take care of the new baby. Mayumi Maruyama, CNN, 7 May 2023 Teachers can take care of themselves and their families in the morning. Brooke Schultz, Anchorage Daily News, 7 May 2023 Consider outsourcing podcast production AI can take care of the content and promotion, but Gallego believes the production is best outsourced. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 5 May 2023 And this month, the White House is hosting the inaugural White House Forum on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders that will include a breakout convening session to figure out how to take care of the unique mental health needs of Asian American communities. Thuc Doan Nguyen, refinery29.com, 4 May 2023 Monty Williams calls for Suns to 'take care of business' at home after Game 2 loss Jokic vs. Ayton Ayton started fast in Game 2. Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take care of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of take care of was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near take care of

Cite this Entry

“Take care of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20care%20of. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!