take turns

idiomatic phrase

variants also British take it in turns

: to do something one after another in regular succession in order to share the responsibility or opportunity of doing it : alternate

We take turns washing the dishes.

Almost immediately, Rick and Diane begin videotaping their classroom lessons, letting their students take turns with the cameras.

—Ann Bradley

Several youths were around the phone, taking it in turns to gossip and joke with the operator.

—Christopher Isherwood

Examples of take turns in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each of the kids — seven in all — took turns offering prayers. —La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025

The women took turns recounting the big screen moments that helped shape their careers, their courage and their drive to rewrite the rules of the industry. —Cynthia Reason, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025

One by one, Ravens players take turns saying one line of their ask for Phelps to teach the team how to swim. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025

Just shy of Kingpin’s one-year anniversary at the Miami Lucky Strike location, celebrity entourages took turns bowling over light bites and mixed drinks while girls danced near the DJ booth. —Shanae Hardy, Billboard, 30 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take turns

• holofernes
• overturns
• subalterns
• adjourns
• concerns
• discerns
• downturns
• internes
• nocturnes
• returns
• sideburns
• churns