take 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
as in to accommodate
to make or have room for I think we can take two more in this elevator

Synonyms & Similar Words

8
as in to work
to produce a desired effect it will be a few hours before this medication takes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

9
10
11
12
13
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

14

take

2 of 2

noun

1
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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
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
What To Know China's Chang Guang Satellite Technology shared images taken by its Jilin-1 satellites on September 8, showing a Maxar Technologies WorldView Legion 2 satellite. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 The sensitivity maximum actually took me by surprise. PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
In recent weeks, the weekly take was dropping to the $500,000 range, then $400,000 and then last week’s gross was a minuscule $380,052. Greg Evans, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025 In addition to grandmaster status, Myers is also a fourth degree in hosinsool, a self-defense technique used to protect, disarm and incapacitate an attacker, focusing on practicality to end a dangerous situation quickly with powerful strikes, locks and take-downs. Nicole Stracek, Twin Cities, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take
Verb
  • Lift the wiper arms gently and make sure they're held firmly in place.
    Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
  • And the timing of Williams’ recent improvement may represent a good sign for the Yankees, who are still holding onto a glimmer of hope of winning the AL East while attempting to secure the first wild-card spot and homefield advantage.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The sensor handles up to 70Gs of acceleration and has a sensitivity of up to 30,000 dots per inch (DPI).
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The remaining 10 analysts have a hold equivalent rating.
    Sean Conlon, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The company argues that the traffic which sites do manage to get from users now comes from users who are more engaged and thus more valuable.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Ahead of the premiere of her new Netflix series, Too Much, written for her by Lena Dunham, the 33-year-old reflects on what got her to this moment.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Lauren chose a golden, super-cinched Schiaparelli gown, while Jeff wore a classic tuxedo.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
  • This means regularly assessing your thinking skills, consciously choosing when to engage versus delegate mental tasks, and maintaining practices that keep your mind sharp.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With that in mind, the question of whether to rent or buy favors renting, to the tune of about $812 per month on average, which Zelman reckons is the biggest margin since the early 1980s.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Facing one of these situations late in the quarter, Hartman bought time scrambling to his right before finding Brown behind the defense on the sideline for a 38-yard pass to the 9-yard line.
    Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • London desperately needs that at a time when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his ministers have been accused of harming business sentiment and investment with recent tax rises.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • However, the win was a team effort as forward Brianna Turner (four points, six rebounds), forward Mikayla Timpson (nine points), guards Shey Peddy, Lexie Hull, and Aerial Powers brought the defensive energy and physicality that Indiana desperately needed.
    Allison Smith, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And the rear seats can be folded down to extend the cargo space, or tipped up to accommodate taller items.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2025
  • On top of that, a gallery rail system easily accommodates different frame sizes, shapes, weights, and thicknesses, which allows for ultra-layered, completely unique arrangements.
    Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Alfred is arguably the second-best 200-meter runner among the three and will work hard to secure a gold medal at these championships.
    Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Long said six campus police officers were working the event, including some in plainclothes who were monitoring the crowd.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on take

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!