take turns

Idioms  

1. Alternate, as in Since there is only one horse, Beth and Amanda are taking turns riding. This phrase uses turn in the sense of “one of a series of actions done in succession.” [Late 1300s] Also see in turn.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

take turns

If you each take turns listening to each other’s problems ad nauseum, no one wins.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

Instead, they take turns to silently perform a series of moves and poses that look, to the untrained eye, as if they are playing charades or, as they writhe on the ground, breakdancing.

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

The military has even introduced a new type of guard duty, where soldiers assigned as sky watchers take turns spotting incoming drones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

To use the old gym, they used to take turns in groups.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

He and Finnick take turns opening up the hole with the awl and the knives until it can hold the spile.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

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Related Words

• alter
• differ
• diverge
• diversify
• divide
• fluctuate
• modify
• range

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