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
His patience is thinner, as well, with MLS referees taking the brunt of Messi’s anger. Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 7 June 2025 The Mujahideen Brigades took part in the October 7 attacks alongside Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups and took hostage some of the most high-profile captives, including a family whose suffering became a symbol of the attack. Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Noun
But for a different take, there are sleep experts like Dr. Justin Fiala, a pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine physician at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 26 May 2025 Given that some past Presidents, including Barack Obama, managed to shrink the deficit relative to G.D.P. without a crisis in the bond market, that’s a somewhat reductionist take. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 26 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take
Verb
  • Qasem Hassan held her hand, which was trembling, and wrote out a prescription for her.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • A number of the protesters held high the flags of South American countries like Mexico as the U.S. flag burned on the ground.
    Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • At 18, Neave already has a League Cup winners’ medal, despite having yet to make a first-team appearance.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • Prospective candidates had until May 30 to submit their applications.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Left-hander Pierce Coppola got the start and, after a dominant return against Alabama to the tune of 10 strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings, just couldn’t find the zone.
    Jackson Castellano, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 June 2025
  • Clients would get the remains of not only their loved one, but also the remains of other bodies.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • There are so many reasons why a player may choose to play in a particular location, for a particular team, for a particular coach that have nothing to do with the tax situation in that market.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 5 June 2025
  • She was chosen as the player most likely to win MVP this season, and the Lynx were named title favorites in a survey of WNBA general managers before the season began.
    Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Canada has been in discussions with the European Union to join an EU drive to break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on buying more defense equipment, including fighter jets, in Europe.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • People are not buying our cars because a celebrity is driving it.
    Morgan Korn, ABC News, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • The robot that extruded concrete for Tor Alva, for example, applies the substance only where needed, resulting in hollow columns that significantly reduce material consumption.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Trump is actively harming our ability to make the batteries and other tech that are needed to mass produce drones like the ones Ukraine unleashed on Russia.
    Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Each block is meant to accommodate a building with ground-floor storefronts topped by either residential units or office space and each with its own parking structure.
    Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025
  • Bleacher capacity will increase from 1,886 people to 2,750 to accommodate larger crowds for football games, future graduation ceremonies and band competitions.
    Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • In rubble there is always opportunity, especially for a first-time manager who has worked his whole life for this chance.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2025
  • And then there’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are no longer working royals and whose relationship with the rest of the family is strained at best.
    Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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