take issue

idiomatic phrase

: to adopt or express an opposed or contrary view or position : disagree
Though a barbecuing Southerner may take issue, Texas-style and Korean barbecue have much in common.Anito Lo
usually used with with
She took issue with the conclusions reached by the study.
Carolyn Nichols, an editor at Bantam, took issue with the notion that romance fiction is escapist.Charles Trueheart
Despite the proliferation of all means of communications, from magazines to computers, books remain our chief medium for the full expression of ideas, and for taking issue with those of others.Robert R. Harris

Examples of take issue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Jack Smith, the special counsel prosecuting Mr. Trump, took issue with his arguments in a brief filed in an earlier phase of the proceedings, citing his efforts to subvert democracy. Adam Liptak, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Others who have made Holocaust films like director Jonathan Jakubowicz took issue with Glazer’s invoking the Nazi regime’s mass murder of Jews in the 1940s as a parallel to the Israeli war in Gaza. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 Lacy took issue with law enforcement’s characterization of the situation, arguing that officers should have used de-escalating techniques rather than resorting to lethal force. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Citing excerpts of the book, Wu took issue with Mo’s characters in the Communist army who didn’t want to fight the Japanese. Nectar Gan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Users on social media took issue with the names of the other nominees being left out. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 Trump has previously taken issue with the smaller amount of money other NATO countries spend on defense compared with what the U.S. pays. Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 27 Feb. 2024 Experts who are actively working to enhance vehicular safety take issue with this characterization, suggesting the problem is more complex. Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 The impressionistic update sees the protagonists go back and forth from moments of ethereal fantasy to stark reality — but some critics have taken issue with how the film exoticizes Brazilian poverty and reinforces racial stereotypes. Andrew Lawrence, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take issue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take issue was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near take issue

Cite this Entry

“Take issue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20issue. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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