take to
verb
took to; taken to; taking to; takes to
1
: to go to or into (a place)
take to the woods/hills
Thousands of people took to the streets in protest. [=went out into the streets to protest]
He took to the airwaves [=he spoke on the radio] with his message.
2
: to begin doing (something) as a habit or regular practice
take to drink
—usually used with a following present participletake to drinking/smoking
He's recently taken to staying up late on weekends.
A few of her classmates took to calling her Pipi, after Pippi Longstocking …—
Calvin Tomkins
Calvin TomkinsRecently, he'd taken to wearing tuxedos and suits and had gotten a new car, she said.—Laura Italiano and Tamar Lapin
Laura Italiano and Tamar Lapin3
: to adapt oneself to
They haven't taken well to the new schedule.
4
: to start to have a liking for
I took to her immediately.
He tried skiing and took to it quickly. [=he quickly learned how to ski and liked doing it]
Note: To take to something like a duck (takes) to water is to begin to do it, use it, etc., in a very quick, easy, and natural way.
She took to horseback riding like a duck to water.
Deanna takes to student life like a duck takes to water, doing all the things that we all did …—Joe Anderton
see also take kindly to
Joe AndertonExamples of take to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the days since, viewers have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the movie, good and bad.
—Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Moments after arriving at San Salvador’s airport on Friday, he was released by Salvadoran immigration authorities and is no longer expected to be taken to immigration facilities in the capital.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
But not all dogs instantly take to their toys, leaving many owners wondering how to spark that same enthusiasm.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The victim, who was standing at the back of their vehicle at the intersection of East Deerhill Drive and South Marsala Avenue, was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to the release.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take to
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Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Moments after arriving at San Salvador’s airport on Friday, he was released by Salvadoran immigration authorities and is no longer expected to be taken to immigration facilities in the capital.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
But not all dogs instantly take to their toys, leaving many owners wondering how to spark that same enthusiasm.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The victim, who was standing at the back of their vehicle at the intersection of East Deerhill Drive and South Marsala Avenue, was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to the release.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take to
Cite this Entry
“Take to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20to. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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