Phrase guide

take in

verb · 29 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /teɪk‿ˈɪn/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /tæɪk‿ˈɪn/
  • New-Zealand: /tæɪk‿ˈən/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To receive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The company took in more than forty million euros last year.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To receive and properly absorb or comprehend.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The news is a lot to take in right now.
  • I was so sleepy that I hardly took in any of the lecture.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To enjoy or appreciate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I'm just going to sit on a bench and take in the scenery.
  • Just relax and take in the fresh ocean air.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To allow a person or an animal to live in one's home.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • take in a stray cat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To receive (goods) into one's home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • In hard times, some women would take in washing and others dressmaking repairs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To shorten (a garment) or make it smaller.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Try taking the skirt in a little around the waist.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: let out, let down

7

verb

Meaning 7

To attend a showing of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • take in a show
  • take in a movie

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To deceive; to hoodwink.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Their grandma lost thousands of dollars because she was taken in by scammers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To tighten (a belaying rope).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: climbing, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: take up

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To subscribe to home delivery of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To reef.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To arrest (a person).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The police took in the suspect.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: take up

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

make (clothes) smaller

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Please take in this skirt--I've lost weight

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: let out

Broader terms: change, alter, vary

14

verb

Meaning 14

take into one's family

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • They adopted two children from Nicaragua

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adopt

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: take

15

verb

Meaning 15

take up mentally

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: absorb, assimilate, ingest

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: learn, larn, acquire

Narrower terms: imbibe

16

verb

Meaning 16

fool or hoax

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone
  • You can't fool me!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gull, dupe, slang, befool, cod, fool, put on, put one over, put one across

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deceive, betray, lead astray

Narrower terms: pull the leg of, kid

17

verb

Meaning 17

serve oneself to, or consume regularly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Have another bowl of chicken soup!
  • I don't take sugar in my coffee

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: consume, ingest, take, have

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: hit, cannibalize, cannibalise, use, habituate, eat, drink, imbibe, booze, fuddle, partake, touch, feed, satiate, sate, replete, fill, sample, try, try out, taste, take in, sop up, suck in, take up, smoke, drug, do drugs, swallow, get down, sup

18

verb

Meaning 18

take up as if with a sponge

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sop up, suck in, take up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: consume, ingest, take in, take, have

19

verb

Meaning 19

fold up

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • take in the sails

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gather in

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: roll up, furl

Narrower terms: incorporate, coal

20

verb

Meaning 20

express willingness to have in one's home or environs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The community warmly received the refugees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: receive, invite

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: welcome, absorb, see, assume, induct

21

verb

Meaning 21

take in, also metaphorically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The sponge absorbs water well
  • She drew strength from the minister's words

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: absorb, suck, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck up, draw, take up

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: wipe up, mop up, mop, blot, sponge up

22

verb

Meaning 22

accept

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The cloth takes up the liquid

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: take up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: receive, have

Narrower terms: fuel

23

verb

Meaning 23

see or watch

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • view a show on television
  • This program will be seen all over the world
  • view an exhibition
  • Catch a show on Broadway
  • see a movie

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: watch, view, see, catch

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: watch

Narrower terms: visualize, visualise, spectate, preview

24

verb

Meaning 24

hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We overheard the conversation at the next table

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: catch, overhear

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hear

25

verb

Meaning 25

call for and obtain payment of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • we collected over a million dollars in outstanding debts
  • he collected the rent

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: collect

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: take

Narrower terms: farm, raise

26

verb

Meaning 26

earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • How much do you make a month in your new job?
  • She earns a lot in her new job
  • this merger brought in lots of money
  • He clears $5,000 each month

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gain, clear, make, earn, realize, realise, pull in, bring in

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: get, acquire

Narrower terms: eke out, squeeze out, profit, turn a profit, rake off, take home, bring home, rake in, shovel in, gross, yield, pay, bear

27

verb

Meaning 27

visit for entertainment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • take in the sights

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: visit, see

28

verb

Meaning 28

provide with shelter

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: house, put up, domiciliate

29

verb

Meaning 29

suck or take up or in

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • A black star absorbs all matter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: absorb

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: suck, suck in

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: поемам (poemam) — absorb; comprehend
  • Bulgarian: попивам (popivam) — absorb; comprehend
  • French: absorber — absorb; comprehend
  • French: assimiler — absorb; comprehend
  • Hungarian: befogad — absorb; comprehend
  • Hungarian: felfog — absorb; comprehend
  • Italian: impegnare — absorb; comprehend
  • Italian: vincolare — absorb; comprehend
  • Italian: assorbire — absorb; comprehend
  • Italian: prendere — absorb; comprehend
  • Spanish: procesar — absorb; comprehend
  • Spanish: digerir — absorb; comprehend
  • Bulgarian: приемам (priemam) — allow to live in one's home
  • Hungarian: befogad — allow to live in one's home
  • Italian: accogliere — allow to live in one's home
  • Italian: ospitare — allow to live in one's home
  • Polish: przygarniać — allow to live in one's home
  • Polish: przygarnąć — allow to live in one's home
  • Portuguese: acolher — allow to live in one's home
  • Russian: приюти́ть (prijutítʹ) — allow to live in one's home
  • Spanish: acoger — allow to live in one's home
  • Spanish: hospedar — allow to live in one's home
  • Italian: fare lavoretti in casa — receive into one's home for the purpose of processing for a fee
  • Esperanto: superruzi — deceive; hoodwink
  • Finnish: jymäyttää — deceive; hoodwink
  • French: duper — deceive; hoodwink
  • French: rouler — deceive; hoodwink
  • German: einwickeln — deceive; hoodwink
  • Ido: dupigar — deceive; hoodwink
  • Italian: imbrogliare — deceive; hoodwink
  • Italian: ingannare — deceive; hoodwink
  • Italian: abbindolare — deceive; hoodwink
  • Japanese: 騙す (damasu) — deceive; hoodwink