take turns

idiomatic phrase

variants also British take it in turns
: to do something one after another in regular succession in order to share the responsibility or opportunity of doing it : alternate
We take turns washing the dishes.
Almost immediately, Rick and Diane begin videotaping their classroom lessons, letting their students take turns with the cameras.Ann Bradley
Several youths were around the phone, taking it in turns to gossip and joke with the operator.Christopher Isherwood

Examples of take turns in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The progress and backlash that Faludi identified tend not to take turns—the one giving, the other taking away—but instead to crash together. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024 The brands San Andres Milano, Rose Society Atelier and Trashy Clothing took turns presenting their collections in the open gallery outside Palazzo Giureconsulti. Fairchild Studio, WWD, 31 Oct. 2024 Mario Party to the Max An interactive multiplayer board game, Mario Party sees four players roll dice and take turns trying to collect stars. PCMAG, 23 Oct. 2024 Guests took turns posing for photos down L’Avenue's photogenic staircase and among Le Chalet's banquets before taking their seats at a beautifully dressed table with an all-white floral theme. Vogue, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for take turns 

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take turns was in 1613

Dictionary Entries Near take turns

Cite this Entry

“Take turns.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20turns. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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!