take time

idiom

1
: to need or require time to happen or be done
You have to be patient. Things like this take time.
It may take some time for the medication to wear off.
The meeting won't take too much time.
This job is easy and will take no time at all.
2
or take the time : to use an amount of time in order to do something important
They never took the time to get to know her.
I took some time to think about it, and my answer is still "no."

Examples of take time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
He was often seen teaming with fellow powerhouse Lance Archer before he was forced to take time off. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 Hilaria Baldwin only lasted four episodes on Dancing With the Stars, but her scars will take time to fade. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025 But with fieldwork costly and orca hunts difficult to predict, gathering more data will take time. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025 In that case, the administration has said calculating partial payments is a logistical nightmare that could take time to arrange in the middle of a shutdown. Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take time

Cite this Entry

“Take time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20time. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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