taking

American  

[tey-king] / ˈteɪ kɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that takes.

2. the state of being taken. taken.

3. something that is taken. taken.

4. 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.

5. takings, receipts, especially of money earned or gained.

6. Archaic. a state of agitation or distress.

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adjective

1. captivating, winning, or pleasing.

2. Archaic. infectious or contagious.

taking British  

/ ˈteɪkɪŋ /

adjective

1. charming, fascinating, or intriguing

2. informal infectious; catching

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noun

1. something taken

2. (plural) receipts; earnings

Other Word Forms

• takingly adverb
• takingness noun
• untaking adjective

Etymology

Origin of taking

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English takyng (gerund); take, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

But on a more philosophical level, F1 is meant to be the ultimate challenge - the driver taking their machine and themselves to the limit of what is possible.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

"When there's no wind or storm, not a week goes by without flights taking off from here. The hangar door opens right onto the runway. That's a real competitive advantage," said Canguilhem.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Since the All-Star break, they had become one of the best teams when it came to taking care of the ball, committing only 12.6 turnovers per game, ranking third in the league.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

U.S. home builders and car manufacturers are taking a hit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

I was taking advantage of catching her off guard, but I didn’t know what else to do.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu