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
Several films offer immediate responses to critical current events, while others take time to reflect, examining the social realities and challenges shaping people’s lives today.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
That isn’t too surprising, as Hamas had warned that finding the bodies of all the dead hostages would take time and was unlikely to be completed by the Monday at noon local time deadline.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2025
The boat therefore needed metal or plastic cages installed around the engines, so that the diver wouldn’t get accidentally cut up by their blades — and finding a boat and then the right cages fit onto the boat would take time.
—Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025
According to Canada Post, the previous disruptions will force the carrier to take time to clear the mail and parcels that had been sitting idle within its network.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take time
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Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
That isn’t too surprising, as Hamas had warned that finding the bodies of all the dead hostages would take time and was unlikely to be completed by the Monday at noon local time deadline.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2025
The boat therefore needed metal or plastic cages installed around the engines, so that the diver wouldn’t get accidentally cut up by their blades — and finding a boat and then the right cages fit onto the boat would take time.
—Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025
According to Canada Post, the previous disruptions will force the carrier to take time to clear the mail and parcels that had been sitting idle within its network.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 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 19 Oct. 2025.
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