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

The moms and their mom bladders take turns riding a mechanical bull and analyzing the health of the MomTok brand. —Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 15 May 2025

Brunson and Bridges took turns making bucket after bucket, and Boston wasn’t able to keep pace. —The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 May 2025

Liza Gardner: Claimed Diddy and Guy singer Aaron Hall took turns raping her and a friend after meeting the pair at an MCA Records event in either 1990 or 1991. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 12 May 2025

Several attendees at the rally stood outside in the rain as their peers took turns sharing their experiences. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 7 May 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