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

Roberts opened with a speech, before players took turns talking.

From Los Angeles Times

“We could take turns swimming and riding,” said Nim.

From Literature

Lily doesn’t understand the rules, and I’m too lazy to read the fine print, so we take turns pressing the frog’s belly.

From Literature

Speaking of his foster brothers, Freddy and Teddy and their friends were taking turns testing their echoes, which bounced in the long stairwells.

From Literature

Two teams take turns to slide granite stones down a 45m-plus sheet of ice towards a target, with those 20kg stones accompanied on their journey by two players brushing furiously.

From BBC

Related Words

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