take 1 of 2

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as in to accommodate
to make or have room for I think we can take two more in this elevator

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as in to work
to produce a desired effect it will be a few hours before this medication takes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to receive
to offer entrance (as to a place, school, or privilege) to the school takes only a small percentage of the thousands of applicants

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take

2 of 2

noun

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as in reaction
action or behavior that is done in return to other action or behavior what's your take on the announcement that the senior vice president is taking an early retirement?

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2
as in yield
the total amount collected or obtained especially at one time who will win the poker tournament and collect the whole take?

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as in share
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group because there were so many winners of the jackpot, each person's take will be smaller than expected

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as in interpretation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play) despite its contemporary setting, this take on King Lear isn't particularly novel or insightful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word take different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of take are clutch, grab, grasp, seize, and snatch. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

In what contexts can clutch take the place of take?

In some situations, the words clutch and take are roughly equivalent. However, clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How are the words grab and snatch related as synonyms of take?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

Where would grasp be a reasonable alternative to take?

While the synonyms grasp and take are close in meaning, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

When is seize a more appropriate choice than take?

While in some cases nearly identical to take, seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

How do snatch and seize relate to one another, in the sense of take?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of take
Verb
In the final seconds of the game, Manning took a sack then hurried his teammates to the line and spiked the football with no time left on the clock. Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Oct. 2025 However, diseases, pollution and rising ocean temperatures are taking a huge toll. John Otis, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
Liberation filled 60% of seats at the James Earl Jones for a seven-preview take of $196,192 (opening night is October 28). Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025 Panahi is an extensive planner, and scenes require, at most, two or three takes. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take
Verb
  • But as Muttaqi went about a public relations blitz in India and held talks with Indian officials, deadly clashes erupted along the Durand Line border between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent days.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Lyon has earned the net Alex Lyon was playing his fourth game in seven days and still held steady for most of the night.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The facility, which had about 80 employees, according to Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates, is about an hour southwest of Nashville, on the Hickman and Humphreys County lines.
    Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Forgery is also about persuasion, and certain forgeries have specific attributes.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Through more than a decade of running a business and raising a son, Whebbe and Paoli refused to give up on getting the Book Lady’s books into the hands of people who will love them.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
  • That was our game plan, to get 11 guys to the ball.
    Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While the right technique for cutting can go a long way, nothing will have quite as much impact on the longevity of your blooms than choosing the right time to hit your garden with a bucket of lukewarm water and your sharpest shears in hand.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In Pullman’s world, evil is overcome by people choosing truth over lies, action over apathy and empathy over hate, every single day.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile 17% of consumers said will buy inflatables, animatronics or other large lawn displays.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2025
  • But these adaptations can buy only so much time.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Such intellectual property advantages could give Europe just the kind of edge needed to redress the balance, concludes Ward.
    Andrew Saunders, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The world needs the Irwin family.
    Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The planes have a range of 7,750 miles, and can accommodate up to 13 passengers.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • In total, Cotino aims to accommodate around 1,900 residential units across a 618-acre site.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The organization has a partnership with the nonprofit Allbritton Journalism Institute, which sponsors a multi-year class of 20 fellows who work closely with professional journalists in the newsroom.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Now working for United Airlines as an avionics technician at Newark Liberty International Airport, repairing plane engines and electrical systems, the 25-year-old has already doubled her investment in the program and makes over six-figures.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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