1
as in held
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
take my hand, or we'll get separated in this crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in had
to agree to receive whether willingly or reluctantly
will you take that call? took a cut in pay
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in gotten
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
if you don't cover your head in this weather, you'll take cold and be stuck inside all weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in selected
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
you can take the white side this time, since I got to be white for our last chess game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in bought
to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for
I'll take two cheeseburgers to go, please
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in required
to have as a requirement
it will take a lot of courage to stand up for what is right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
as in wrought
to produce a desired effect
it will be a few hours before this medication takes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in stood
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
I can't take anymore of your whining about your former boyfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in believed
to regard as right or true
I think we can take his word for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in got
to achieve a victory over
I know we can take that team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in treated
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
let's take each problem separately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in received
to offer entrance (as to a place, school, or privilege) to
the school takes only a small percentage of the thousands of applicants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in destroyed
to deprive of life
I never thought heart disease would take such an athletic and health-conscious person
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 taken
In response, Thomson and Airtours rushed out their 1995 brochures — which was, of course, how people researched holidays back then — before some customers had even taken that year’s break.
—
Ian King, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Trump has also taken an unusually hands-on approach to pressure policy and leadership changes at a slew of colleges and universities by freezing, or threatening to withhold, federal funding at campuses, including Columbia, George Mason, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Brown, and Michigan.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
It’s taken nearly a decade to move toward conviction.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
The Saudi Backed League events were not taken into account for this ranking.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Cruz, 60, was arrested via a private person's arrest and taken into custody, the spokesperson said.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
All of these factors taken together create a dilemma for even the best SaaS leaders and investors.
—Barry Libert, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
While Agba ran away, she was found at checkpoint 5 by police, where she was taken into custody, CBS News Miami reported.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
And the driver's income isn't taken into account with leasing.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Ian King, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Trump has also taken an unusually hands-on approach to pressure policy and leadership changes at a slew of colleges and universities by freezing, or threatening to withhold, federal funding at campuses, including Columbia, George Mason, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Brown, and Michigan.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
It’s taken nearly a decade to move toward conviction.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
The Saudi Backed League events were not taken into account for this ranking.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Cruz, 60, was arrested via a private person's arrest and taken into custody, the spokesperson said.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
All of these factors taken together create a dilemma for even the best SaaS leaders and investors.
—Barry Libert, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
While Agba ran away, she was found at checkpoint 5 by police, where she was taken into custody, CBS News Miami reported.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
And the driver's income isn't taken into account with leasing.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taken
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Savage is a former child star who had his breakout role in the 1987 film The Princess Bride.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Brazzell had another touchdown later in the game on a hook-and-lateral in the fourth.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Whatever the case may be, Purdy landed a five-year, $265 million contract extension from the 49ers earlier this offseason, a very hefty contract for the player who was selected with the final selection of the 2022 NFL Draft.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Here are the 16 clubs that played in the first edition of the competition in 1955-56, all of them having been selected to participate by L’Equipe.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Typically, a peer-review process is required where multiple experts in the field provide feedback on the analysis before a publication is possible.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
O’Connell updated a city ordinance that required immigration enforcement to be reported to his office, and endorsed The Belonging Fund, which provided aid to families affected by the raids.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
One of the zippered pockets is even large enough to fit a passport, making these a great option for travel days as well.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The eat-in chef’s kitchen is fully up to date with elaborate stone carvings fitted into arched windows, while the nearby den’s more intimate size is perfect for snuggling up with a book or watching TV.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To end the game, the Panther defense stood tall.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
-
As the Republican candidate stood on the fifth-hole putting green, a Secret Service agent was riding a golf cart in a security sweep of the sixth hole and noticed someone hiding behind a chain-link fence in the southeast corner of the course.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The exact cause is also unknown, but it is believed to be related to inflammation in the facial nerve, potentially due to viral infections.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The cause of the fire is believed to be of natural origin.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The share of respondents indicating that foreign and local companies were treated equally rose by 5 percentage points to 37%.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Money markets, which are treated as safe havens, won't lose value since they are fixed at $1 per share, Stovall said, but the income received will go down if interest rates fall in the future.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taken. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share