take turns
idiomatic phrase
variants
also British take it in turns
: to do something one after another in regular succession in order to share the responsibility or opportunity of doing it : alternate
We take turns washing the dishes.
Almost immediately, Rick and Diane begin videotaping their classroom lessons, letting their students take turns with the cameras.—
Ann Bradley
Ann BradleySeveral youths were around the phone, taking it in turns to gossip and joke with the operator.—Christopher Isherwood
Christopher IsherwoodExamples of take turns in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At Zhongshan High School in downtown Taipei, an instructor for the Forward Alliance NGO sets a steel pan with gasoline ablaze before asking a dozen volunteers to take turns dousing the flames with CO₂ extinguishers.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
My sibling would come every weekend with me, each taking turns caring for Cinco in between classes and marveling at his beauty.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
The pair are said to have taken turns guarding the works overnight; the missing work is not yet confirmed to have been placed in the delivery van, and no arrests have yet been made.
—News Desk, Artforum, 21 Oct. 2025
Players take turns throwing at the balloons.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take turns
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
My sibling would come every weekend with me, each taking turns caring for Cinco in between classes and marveling at his beauty.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
The pair are said to have taken turns guarding the works overnight; the missing work is not yet confirmed to have been placed in the delivery van, and no arrests have yet been made.
—News Desk, Artforum, 21 Oct. 2025
Players take turns throwing at the balloons.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take turns
Cite this Entry
“Take turns.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20turns. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share