taking
Americannoun
-
the act of a person or thing that takes.
-
the state of being taken.
-
something that is taken.
-
an action by the federal government, as a regulatory ruling, that imposes a restriction on the use of private property for which the owner must be compensated.
-
takings, receipts, especially of money earned or gained.
-
Archaic. a state of agitation or distress.
adjective
-
captivating, winning, or pleasing.
-
Archaic. infectious or contagious.
adjective
-
charming, fascinating, or intriguing
-
informal infectious; catching
noun
-
something taken
-
(plural) receipts; earnings
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of taking
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English takyng (gerund); see take, -ing 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Ffion Jones started playing rugby at the age of eight, her focus was simply on doing her best for the team, despite regularly taking knocks to the head.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Andrew Bary’s stock pick has been taking off along with the team’s success.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
“If they can’t get sufficient investment from the private sector to maximize AI development and deployment, then they will consider taking stakes in some subset of it,” Haines told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Shares in Zealand were down 24% in European afternoon trading, taking their year-to-date losses to around 47%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
“So, you don’t want it?” she asks, taking the plate away.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
