take 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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
The Washington Nationals had already taken the lead earlier in the fifth inning, but Crews’s three-run home run helped nail down a 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 16 June 2026 Fans who chose to take shuttle buses, as tournament organizers urged fans to do, generally seemed to have an easy commute. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Noun
Cryo Dirty Martini with a Caviar Bump At Caspian’s Cocktails & Caviar at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, cocktails and caviar take center stage, with playful, indulgent caviar bites and creative, handcrafted cocktails made for sipping. Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 Hundreds of people braved the rain and thunderstorms overnight to document the take-down. Frank Langfitt, NPR, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take
Verb
  • Mesa Verde continues to hold great cultural significance for the 27 pueblos and tribes whose ancestors once called the canyons, farms, cliffside and mesa dwellings home or who have other ties to the area.
    Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026
  • She was being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on June 30.
    Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • In fact, their entire relationship has an eerie, performative aura.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 15 June 2026
  • That was especially true the following game when the Golden Knights took a 4-0 lead into the third period and the Hurricanes seemed to have no answers.
    Mark Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • There's about to be a lot of focus on soccer for the next month, what with the World Cup getting underway, but MLB is scoring itself some heat by bringing some serious heat.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
  • Good old Michelob beer sold in red, white, and blue cans poured from the concessions; helicopters choppered overhead for a flyover and movie stars got face time.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Under the Quaker Oats partnership, Asun and Asir were chosen to attend a ‘Breakfast Academy’ hosted by Quaker.
    Chelsea Torres, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
  • When cleaning an oven with vinegar, choose standard household white vinegar and avoid concentrated or high-strength formulas.
    Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • That was actually the settlement of a long-term dispute over arms Iran bought from the US before the Islamic revolution.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • Tickets cost $5 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • There’s a lot of repairing and resolution that needs to happen in this final episode, but luckily things start strong with Liz and Jo-Ellen pulling each other aside to talk things through on the beach.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 June 2026
  • The verdict was delivered amid difficult personal circumstances for Mette-Marit, Hoiby’s mother, who needs a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The gentler ride on family coasters also helps accommodate older visitors who might not be comfortable with more intense coasters anymore.
    Robert Niles, Oc Register, 9 June 2026
  • The camp could not accommodate detainees using wheelchairs and had no showers compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, resulting in the disabled being held in medical care rooms.
    Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • How would the population cap work?
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 13 June 2026
  • In the 1970s, what was then West Germany co-produced the Tornado bomber with the UK and Italy; then in the 1990s Germany worked with the UK, Italy and Spain to produce the dog-fighting Eurofighter jet.
    Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 13 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

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