as in beautiful
very pleasing to look at
had never seen such a taking city as Venice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in holding
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in having
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 getting
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 selecting
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 buying
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 requiring
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
as in accommodating
to make or have room for
I think we can take two more in this elevator
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in working
to produce a desired effect
it will be a few hours before this medication takes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in standing
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 believing
to regard as right or true
I think we can take his word for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in defeating
to achieve a victory over
I know we can take that team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in managing
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
let's take each problem separately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in receiving
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 destroying
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 taking
Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
Someone had ordered pizza to the home, and a delivery driver spent some time ringing the doorbell before returning to his car, taking the pies with him.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
The group plans to talk to lawmakers and is taking their sanctuary city demands to the Detroit City Council in-person on Tuesday.
—Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Bolden pleaded not guilty on April 11, 1997, to taking bribes.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Two short bridges connect the island of Ortigia to the mainland, a UNESCO landmark where getting lost is almost obligatory, tracing nearly 3,000 years of history through the various architectural styles and taking refuge from the heat under oversized trattorie umbrellas.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Read on for the best way to clean between oven glass without taking the door apart.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
The Blue Raiders used 17 plays and over eight minutes off the clock, taking the second half kickoff from its own 20 to the Trinity nine-yard line, where the drive stalled.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Chrishell Stause is taking the next exit off Sunset Boulevard.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
But in 1999, just months after Luke was born, Andrea attempted suicide by taking an overdose of medication prescribed for her father, who was ill.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking
Adjective
-
His son is in the beginning, messy, beautiful process of becoming.—
-
There’s also a lot going on in the personal lives of the folks at 51, the biggest being Boden’s wedding, which — despite a glitch with Herrmann’s offer to hold the event at his church — winds up being a beautiful affair.—
Verb
-
Jeff Bezos holding the device high.—
-
This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Verb
-
From frequent favorites like Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez and George and Amal Clooney, to couples having a rare date night like Julia Roberts and Danny Moder and Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Moroney, significant others had a significant presence.—
-
Jaffery describes it as an unfortunate oversight and a prime example on the importance of having diverse voices at the table when making decisions.—
Verb
-
If Carolina is thinking about the big picture, giving Coker the extra year, perhaps valued as a first- or second-round tender, is just getting ahead of a formality.—
-
Chief among them is getting to be a mentor to newer cast members, such as Marcello Hernández.—
Verb
-
According to researchers at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute, the characteristics of nanotubes can be precisely tuned by selecting specific atomic compositions.—
-
Get the most from your investment by selecting trees that provide year-round beauty.—
Verb
-
Events like moving to a new neighborhood, buying a new car, changing jobs or even adjusting one’s daily commute can be enough to warrant a review of one’s risks and coverage.—
-
Overflowing with furniture and decor to breathe new life into your home and make any room tidier, there are so many helpful pieces worth buying.—
Verb
-
While the temporary jail facility will not be subject to the city ordinance requiring the standard, the permanent facility that is also planned will be.—
-
Governing is a long and laborious process, requiring study, deliberation and the weighing of competing forces.—
Verb
-
Accessibility Amanyara wasn’t designed with ADA regulations in mind, but staff are committed to accommodating ADA compliance requests by installing ramps, assist rails and handles, and shower seating as needed.—
-
However, Denver-area businesses, worried about accommodating growth, urged the PUC not to scale back Xcel’s target.—
Cite this Entry
“Taking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share