Phrasal Verbs with “take”
"Take" combines with many particles to make some of the most useful phrasal verbs in English. Here are the common ones, each with a simple meaning and an example.
Tip
"Take off" alone has three common meanings (remove, depart, succeed) — the context tells you which one is meant.
10 phrasal verbs with “take”
take off
to remove clothing; or (of a plane) to leave the ground; or to become successful suddenly.
“The plane took off on time.”
take on
to accept work or responsibility; or to hire someone.
“She took on a difficult new project.”
take up
to start a hobby or activity; or to fill time or space.
“He took up painting last year.”
take over
to gain control of something.
“A new manager took over the team.”
take out
to remove something; or to take someone on an outing.
“He took her out for dinner.”
take back
to return something; or to admit you were wrong.
“I take back what I said — you were right.”
take after
to look or behave like an older relative.
“She takes after her mother.”
take down
to write something down; or to remove something from a high place.
“Let me take down your number.”
take in
to understand or absorb information; or to give someone shelter.
“It was a lot to take in at once.”
take apart
to separate something into its pieces.
“He took the old clock apart to fix it.”
Frequently asked
How can one phrasal verb like "take off" have several meanings?
Many phrasal verbs do. "Take off" can mean remove (take off your shoes), depart (the plane took off), or succeed (the business took off). The surrounding words make the meaning clear.
What's the difference between "take" and "bring"?
"Take" moves something away from you; "bring" moves it toward you. You take something there and bring something here.