partake
Americanverb (used without object)
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partakes,
present (3rd person singular)
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partook,
past
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partaken,
past participle
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partaking
present participle
-
to take or have a part or share along with others; participate (usually followed byin ).
He won't partake in the victory celebration.
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to receive, take, or have a share or portion (usually followed byof ).
to partake of a meal.
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to have something of the nature or character (usually followed byof ).
feelings partaking of both joy and regret.
verb (used with object)
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partakes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
partook,
past
-
partaken,
past participle
-
partaking
present participle
verb
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(foll by in) to have a share; participate
to partake in the excitement
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(foll by of) to take or receive a portion, esp of food or drink
each partook of the food offered to him
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(foll by of) to suggest or have some of the quality (of)
music partaking of sadness
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archaic (tr) to share in
Usage
Partake of is sometimes wrongly used as if it were a synonym of eat or drink. Correctly, one can only partake of food or drink which is available for several people to share
Synonym Usage
See share 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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partakernoun
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prepartakeverb (used without object)
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partakableadjective
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unpartakenadjective
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unpartakingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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partakesimple
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partakessimple
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have partakenperfect
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has partakenperfect
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am partakingprogressive
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are partakingprogressive
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is partakingprogressive
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have been partakingperfect progressive
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has been partakingperfect progressive
Past
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partooksimple
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had partakenperfect
-
was partakingprogressive
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were partakingprogressive
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had been partakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of partake
First recorded in 1555–65; back formation from partaking, Middle English part taking, translation of Latin participātiō “taking part”; see participation
Explanation
When you partake in something, you join in, like when you partake in the three-legged race and bobbing for apples at your town fall festival. The verb partake is almost always followed by the word in, and used in a somewhat formal context. You partake in whatever activities you participate — or take part — in, like when you partake in a backyard football game or partake in your family's holiday cookie making party. If you get a share of something, you also partake of it, like when you partake of the delicious buffet at your cousin's wedding.
Vocabulary lists containing partake
Twelfth Night
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"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte, Chapters 1–5
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Mythology
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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.
See Examples For:
West Virginia adopted the nation’s first program to make those funds universally available in 2021 and today, 18 states are inviting any student to partake, regardless of family income or existing private school enrollment.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
He doesn’t partake in alcohol, coffee, or cigarettes, so it’s not like he has something else to provide a pick-me-up.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Homeland Security secretaries do not typically partake in field operations.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026
Moreno’s ingenuity as an independent bilingual creative allowed her to freely partake in various opportunities in entertainment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
Hibernation would mean missing out on winter altogether and not having the opportunity to partake of all the things he loved about it.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
Although raised Hindu, Pi partakes of religious services from many sects.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2025
Eventually, it becomes clear that this quaint legal loophole — in which James, of course, partakes — has given rise to a subculture of amorality among a small group of tourists.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 25, 2023
The latest research adds on to exciting global research around dogs and language, like the study Bunny the Talking Dog partakes in, as Salon has previously reported.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2022
Then, in a scene that borders on the surreal, Anna partakes in a ritual that releases her from the past, resulting in a kind of rebirth.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 7, 2021
It is also stated that if the latter partakes of a hemorrhagic character, the spots on the mucous membrane may also become livid.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
The question hung over October’s Yale Family Weekend, as parents partook of cherished traditions like performances by the Yale Glee Club, lectures by distinguished faculty and tours of the neo-Gothic-style campus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025
The King and Queen later partook in a tree planting ceremony at Rideau Hall, the official residence of Canada's governor general.
From BBC ● May 26, 2025
When asked by Henley to return his stolen property, the defendants failed to comply and instead, partook in a lengthy campaign to prevent Henley from recovering the notes.
From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2024
Some already experienced Kraken training camp a year ago while all partook in the July development camp.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 17, 2023
The horse partook of the jockey’s cunning; the jockey partook of the horse’s supreme power.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
In fact, of the 1,350 individuals concerned about their exposures from the wildfires who had partaken in the county’s lead blood testing program as of May 31, only seven had levels greater than 3.5 mcg/dL.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2025
The thing is, I had not, until recently, partaken in this magical quartet in one of their more obvious, beloved iterations: spaghetti carbonara.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 23, 2022
And, as anyone who has partaken in a game of casual doom scrolling knows, it can also be bad for health — physical and mental.
From New York Times ● Nov. 19, 2020
Mulligan lent his moniker to the second chances that pretty much everyone has partaken in on golf courses across America.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2020
She had partaken of the arts—road companies of plays and even operas, with their magic and promise of an aromatic world outside.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
During her dream bridal shower, Williams and her friends munched on Asian food before partaking in a lip-synch battle.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025
Even investors who aren’t partaking in the selling should pay attention to big losers.
From Barron's ● Nov. 25, 2025
So partaking with ample time between races is allowed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2025
“I felt the camera becomes more observational and reflective with these shots. It puts the audience in her place and engages them in the world that she’s partaking in.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2024
Traveling creatures, migratory birds, wandering foxes, rambling squirrels and garrulous hares—they all stopped and chatted with the old mouse, partaking of his hospitality, never dreaming of hurting him in any way.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
