take time
idiom
1
: to need or require time to happen or be done
You have to be patient. Things like this take time.
It may take some time for the medication to wear off.
The meeting won't take too much time.
This job is easy and will take no time at all.
2
or take the time
: to use an amount of time in order to do something important
They never took the time to get to know her.
I took some time to think about it, and my answer is still "no."
Examples of take time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The hitting is going to take time to fix.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
This is the 18th century, after all — DNA and 23andMe are still two centuries off, so definitive proof of the seemingly impossible lineage will take time and effort to piece together.
—Amy Wilkinson, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
While reblooming can take time, consistent care pays off—often with flowers that are just as striking as the first.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Still, the journey toward establishing a COP for space may take time.
—Andrew Jones, Space.com, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take time
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Troy Renck, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
This is the 18th century, after all — DNA and 23andMe are still two centuries off, so definitive proof of the seemingly impossible lineage will take time and effort to piece together.
—Amy Wilkinson, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
While reblooming can take time, consistent care pays off—often with flowers that are just as striking as the first.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Still, the journey toward establishing a COP for space may take time.
—Andrew Jones, Space.com, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for take time
Cite this Entry
“Take time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20time. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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