take apart
verb
took apart; taken apart; taking apart; takes apart
1
: to disconnect the pieces of (something) : disassemble
take a machine apart
While the giant engines at the Waterworks were being taken apart piece by piece and examined for damage, temporary sources of power were sought.—
Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy2
informal
: to treat (someone or something) roughly or harshly : to tear into
The voice in his head that normally took him apart was cutting him some slack. Every now and then, it actually gave him some credit.—David Corbett
David CorbettExamples of take apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By utilizing these precision joints, sections of a magnet can be taken apart much like industrial-scale connectors, tackling a hurdle that has long hindered the commercial outlook for fusion energy.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
In recent months and days, right up though the current authoritarian auto-da-fé that’s taking apart the Constitution, Winslow has become ever more choleric in his public comments.
—Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
For a more rigorous clean, McAdoo mentions that the mesh filter can usually be unscrewed and taken apart—make a point to paying attention to the order of the pieces for quicker reassembly.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2026
Disrobed and taken apart, Sophia was carried off, the machinery revealed, any semblance of sentience evaporating the moment the costume came off.
—Dan Turello, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
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Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
In recent months and days, right up though the current authoritarian auto-da-fé that’s taking apart the Constitution, Winslow has become ever more choleric in his public comments.
—Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
For a more rigorous clean, McAdoo mentions that the mesh filter can usually be unscrewed and taken apart—make a point to paying attention to the order of the pieces for quicker reassembly.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2026
Disrobed and taken apart, Sophia was carried off, the machinery revealed, any semblance of sentience evaporating the moment the costume came off.
—Dan Turello, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take apart
Cite this Entry
“Take apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20apart. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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