take (great) pains
idiom
: to try hard (to do something)
He took (great) pains to explain the situation to us.
Examples of take (great) pains in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These days, Chief Justice Roberts said in 2019, the justices have to take pains to applaud only very occasionally.
—
Adam Liptak, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2025
The staff take pains to explain that exposure to the water should be limited to small doses.
—Valerie Hopkins, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Given the game’s importance, the schools take pains to lock in revenue streams years ahead.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Netto and Schindler take pains to point out the irony of Iris’ predicament: Iris has emerged from the emotionally catatonic state that she’s been in since the day of her son’s accident… just to wind up in a physically catatonic state at the site of her son’s accident.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for take (great) pains
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Adam Liptak, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2025
The staff take pains to explain that exposure to the water should be limited to small doses.
—Valerie Hopkins, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Given the game’s importance, the schools take pains to lock in revenue streams years ahead.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Netto and Schindler take pains to point out the irony of Iris’ predicament: Iris has emerged from the emotionally catatonic state that she’s been in since the day of her son’s accident… just to wind up in a physically catatonic state at the site of her son’s accident.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for take (great) pains
Cite this Entry
“Take (great) pains.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20%28great%29%20pains. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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