take-charge

1 of 2

adjective

ˈtāk-ˈchärj 

: having the qualities of a forceful leader

a take-charge executive

take charge

2 of 2

phrase

: to assume control, command, care, or custody

… the people Americans have chosen to take charge in times of crisis …

—Marc Fisher

—often used with of

She took charge of the company/team/project.

A neighbor took charge of the children until he got home from the emergency room.

Happiness is what occurs when you take charge of your life …

—Terina Allen

Samuel Morse wanted the federal government to take charge of building a national telegraph system.

—Virginia Postrel

I could see that unless I took charge of the situation nothing would get done. So I said, "Mouse, you and Jane … help me. …"

—Judy Blume

Examples of take-charge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

While Bukele is admired by many people in Haiti for his take-charge style, his deployment has also created ripples, raising concerns about his ultimate intentions. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026

Bailey didn’t excel at every aspect of the game, and there were times when the Giants could have used more of a take-charge persona behind the plate. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 May 2026

Phrase

Wiesler schemes to keep him out of trouble, but Grubitz takes charge and closes in. — Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026

Tens of thousands of people across more than 30 cities took to the streets, including in the capital Berlin and financial hub Frankfurt, in protests organized by the campaign group Gen Z regelt (Gen Z takes charge). — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1950, in the meaning defined above

Phrase

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take-charge

• overcharge
• barge
• charge
• large
• marge
• sarge
• targe
• discharge
• enlarge
• litharge
• recharge
• surcharge