What does "taking" mean?
The act by which something is taken.
Taking
/ˈteɪkɪŋ/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act by which something is taken.
- Grammar: taking is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: acquisition, acceptable, acceptance, access.
- Useful contrasts: avoid, bestowal, bringing.
- Usage evidence: The student decided to abridge his paper by taking out unnecessary details.
How to use "taking"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "taking" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "taking" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "taking" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "taking" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "taking" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acquisition" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "taking", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act by which something is taken. countable, uncountable
"At the taking of the stockade he had distinguished himself greatly by the methodical ferocity of his fighting."
- 2 the act of someone who picks up or takes something wordnet
- 3 A seizure of someone's goods or possessions. uncountable
- 4 A state of mental distress, resulting in excited or erratic behavior (in the expression in a taking). uncountable
"What a taking was hee in, when your husband askt who was in the basket?"
- 5 Cash or money received (by a shop or other business, for example). Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, countable, in-plural, uncountable
"Fred was concerned because the takings from his sweetshop had fallen again for the third week."
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of take form-of, gerund, participle, present
"Athelstan Arundel walked home[…], foaming and raging. […] He walked the whole way, walking through crowds, and under the noses of dray-horses, carriage-horses, and cart-horses, without taking the least notice of them."
Adjective
- 1 Alluring; attractive.
"[…] a Proteus-Devil appeared unto him, changing into Shapes, but fixing himself at last into the form of a Fair Woman. Strange, that Satan (so subtil in making his Temptations most taking) should preferre this form […]"
- 2 Infectious; contagious. obsolete
"All the stor’d vengeances of heaven fall On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones, You taking airs, with lameness!"
Adjective
- 1 very attractive; capturing interest wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"The student decided to abridge his paper by taking out unnecessary details."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "taking"?
Common synonyms include: acquisition, acceptable, acceptance, access, acquire, acquisition.
How do you use "taking" in a sentence?
The student decided to abridge his paper by taking out unnecessary details.
How do you pronounce "taking"?
Pronounced /ˈteɪkɪŋ/.
Etymology
By surface analysis, take + -ing.