take for

verb

took for; taken for; taking for; takes for

transitive verb

: to suppose (someone) to be (a particular kind of person) : to perceive (someone) as (something)

What do you take me for?

"I think I do understand. I'm not such a dull fellow as you take me for."

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

… a usually commonsensical fellow who was anything but the … clod some people took him for.

—Robert Sherrill

Please do not take me for a wimp—one of those pallid, selfless creatures who shuns disagreements entirely.

—Maggie Scarf

Examples of take for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Accessibility All guests are welcomed at Mandarin Oriental and careful consideration has been taken for accessibility. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Altman’s physicality, vocal intonations and general creepiness are on full display channeled through Garfield for a man who simply should not be trusted or taken for his word. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

He was taken for mandatory drug and alcohol testing and later taken to a police station. — Jason Volack, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

There’s also a selection of his photos taken for Vogue in the 1990s and 2000s. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take for

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore
• heretofore