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

When her mom was going downhill physically, my friend was taking care of her. —Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026

When her mom was going downhill physically my friend was taking care of her. —R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026

Talking to Campbell and Red Sox officials this offseason, one thing everyone can agree on is that once Campbell starts hitting again everything else will take care of itself. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026

Reigns, then, took care of Fatu when Fatu was distracted by the happenings between McIntyre and Rhodes. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026

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