take a/its toll
idiom
: to have a serious, bad effect on someone or something : to cause harm or damage
If you keep working so hard, the stress will eventually take its toll.
—often + onToo much sunlight can take a (heavy) toll on your skin.
Her illness has taken a toll on her marriage.
Examples of take a/its toll in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Constant use is going to take a toll on your keyboard.
—
Simon Hill, WIRED, 7 July 2024
But ambition being the main force behind attraction and desire eventually starts to take its toll.
—Patricia Karounos, refinery29.com, 1 May 2024
Neglecting to acknowledge the potentially draining nature of being a trailblazer can take a toll on you.
—Zameena Mejia, refinery29.com, 14 Aug. 2024
The stress of the conditions and fatigue could take a toll on him and result in complications, particularly on his right side.
—Sandra Gonzalez, CNN, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for take a/its toll 
Simon Hill, WIRED, 7 July 2024
But ambition being the main force behind attraction and desire eventually starts to take its toll.
—Patricia Karounos, refinery29.com, 1 May 2024
Neglecting to acknowledge the potentially draining nature of being a trailblazer can take a toll on you.
—Zameena Mejia, refinery29.com, 14 Aug. 2024
The stress of the conditions and fatigue could take a toll on him and result in complications, particularly on his right side.
—Sandra Gonzalez, CNN, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for take a/its toll
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take a/its toll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Take a/its toll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%2Fits%20toll. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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