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

But those who take issue with the film for getting political, frankly, have greatly missed the point of the work in all its forms. —Dan Heching, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025

Jets running back Breece Hall took issue with how Costello approached Fields at his locker and called him out over social media. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 22 Nov. 2025

Even an old-school black-and-white film camera would have taken issue with my approach. —Lena Dunham, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2025

Others have taken issue with Rosenberg's accommodation of an invasive plant species in his wetland. —Emma Bowman, NPR, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take issue

• reissue