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 got
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 chose
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 needed
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
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 defeated
to achieve a victory over
I know we can take that team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in managed
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
let's take each problem separately
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in killed
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
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Recent Examples of took
Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
Giggs took the games seriously and was usually on the winning side.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
The group – which touts itself as a pagan collective that worships Norse gods – also took credit for originally catapulting Springfield onto the national stage by amplifying ugly memes about the Haitians.
—Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
In the 2010s, the Daily Mail published an archive photo Giuffre took with Andrew and his longtime associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, as a teenager.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Sam, meanwhile, was a jokester much of the time but took his pilot training seriously.
—Emma Hurt, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
The layoffs follow private equity firm Sycamore Partners’ acquisition of Walgreens Boots Alliance in August for about $10 billion — a deal that took Walgreens private.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
The protesters took a violent turn at several points during that week.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
In total, the design process took three years to complete with collaboration from several researchers and engineers.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
Giggs took the games seriously and was usually on the winning side.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
The group – which touts itself as a pagan collective that worships Norse gods – also took credit for originally catapulting Springfield onto the national stage by amplifying ugly memes about the Haitians.
—Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
In the 2010s, the Daily Mail published an archive photo Giuffre took with Andrew and his longtime associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, as a teenager.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Sam, meanwhile, was a jokester much of the time but took his pilot training seriously.
—Emma Hurt, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
The layoffs follow private equity firm Sycamore Partners’ acquisition of Walgreens Boots Alliance in August for about $10 billion — a deal that took Walgreens private.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
The protesters took a violent turn at several points during that week.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
In total, the design process took three years to complete with collaboration from several researchers and engineers.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took
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
-
Shooter entered arena with two guns According to police, the shooter was a licensed gun owner and had a permit to carry out of Florida.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
For over a century, college football had regional identities.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The fans never got an opportunity to give a grateful goodbye, Pat Riley resigning on an early summer afternoon 36 years ago after the end of a lost season.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
In 2025, a pair of early close calls got him into the rest of the year’s signature events.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Cuba does not appear to have any remaining allies willing to supply the hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of fuel needed to power the economy.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
About 102,600 people could be accommodated daily through short-term rentals.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This was partly out of deference to a president who thinks not of enemies but only of potential counterparties to be bargained with, bullied, swindled, or accommodated.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The couple moved to the Middle East and worked as pastor and pastor’s wife, ministering to expatriates, learning Arabic and homeschooling their growing brood.—
Rachel Clarke,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Some groups like Ramapo and the DNA Doe Project, a pioneering nonprofit that has worked with law enforcement agencies and medical examiners to help solve more than 150 cases using genetic genealogy, rely in part or entirely on networks of volunteers for their genealogy work and do it at no cost.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Later that day, Jackson stood once again on the Lorraine Motel balcony at the National Civil Rights Museum during its annual commemoration, sitting in the front row as nearly 500 people gathered for music, speeches and a solemn wreath‑laying ceremony honoring King’s life.—
Diana Leyva,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
17 Feb. 2026
-
One model who stood her ground and refused part of a makeover was Cycle 6’s Dani Evans.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The speech invoked a Václav Havel essay about the hollowness of Communist ideology, embodied by the revolutionary slogans in shopkeepers’ windows that nobody actually believed.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
She is believed to have been taken against her will, and officials have released footage of a masked person on her front porch from the night of her disappearance.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Took.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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