take care

idiomatic phrase

1

: to be careful or watchful : to exercise caution or prudence

Because fish is more delicate than beef, take care when pounding it thin.

—Sam Gugino

Patients also should take care in storing their drugs because heat exposure could affect their efficacy, [Aaron] Bernstein says.

—Marlene Cimons

—often used informally to express good wishes when parting, at the end of a message, etc.

I'll see you next week. Take care!

2

: to give particular attention to doing or not doing something

When he had finished writing, Cluny pushed the parchment under his pillow, taking care to leave just a small corner of it jutting out.

—Brian Jacques

In this land of ritual, Westerners should take care to inform themselves of protocol.

—Jeff Morgan

Open oysters carefully just before they are required, taking care not to spill the liquor in their deep shells.

—Elizabeth Craig

see also take care of

Examples of take care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Of course actors need to take care of each other, but the point is that nothing here lands. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025

Every year around Christmastime, the influencer takes care of a few group and foster homes, making sure that kids’ wishlists are filled. —Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025

Even with recent injury concerns, the Hawks (2-0) took care of business in a 49-14 rout. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025

In recent years, prebiotic soda brands Poppi, Olipop and others have sparked online conversations about taking care of the microbiome and using diet to improve gut health. —Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for take care

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware