take issue

phrase

: to adopt or express an opposed or contrary view or position : disagree

Though a barbecuing Southerner may take issue, Texas-style and Korean barbecue have much in common.

—Anito Lo

—usually used with with

She took issue with the conclusions reached by the study.

Carolyn Nichols, an editor at Bantam, took issue with the notion that romance fiction is escapist.

—Charles Trueheart

Despite the proliferation of all means of communications, from magazines to computers, books remain our chief medium for the full expression of ideas, and for taking issue with those of others.

—Robert R. Harris

Examples of take issue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Center or Biological Diversity and its partners also take issue with how the land deal was made. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 22 July 2026

Along with the lack of provisions in the bill, these members took issue with the bill containing no offsets for the $95 billion in spending. — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026

Sgro, the lawyer for the five victims, took issue with the church’s secretive approach to the case and refusal to confirm or deny the blog report. — ABC News, 21 July 2026

But some, including local resident and homemaker Chie Fujita, took issue with the mayor receiving her full salary while on leave. — Reuters, NBC news, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take issue

• reissue