take apart
Britishverb
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to separate (something) into component parts
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to criticize or punish severely
the reviewers took the new play apart
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Dismantle or disassemble, as in They had to take apart the stereo before they could move it . This usage was first recorded in 1936.
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Examine thoroughly, analyze or dissect, as in The teacher embarrassed Tom by taking his thesis apart in front of the class . [Mid-1900s]
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Beat up, thrash, as in You'd better be careful; those boys will take you apart . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]
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.
Matthias is a 330-pound tackle committed to USC who knows how to take apart double teams.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2025
If "Game of Thrones" fell into the same Madonna-Whore trap that Martin laid to take apart, "House of the Dragon" is much more careful in its depiction of Alys, who stays comfortably in her clothes.
From Salon • Aug. 10, 2024
A crane has been used to take apart the unauthorised spa building at the home of Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter.
From BBC • Feb. 2, 2024
"With this new scanner, we think we're going to be able to take apart a lot more carefully exactly where things have gone wrong. This could help with diagnosis or predicting outcomes in normal people."
From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2023
“Bobby,” Dr. Chase called absently, “don’t take apart your brother’s robots.”
From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan
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.
