take (someone or something) seriously
idiom
: to treat (someone or something) as being very important and deserving attention or respect
He takes his religious faith seriously.
She's well qualified for the job, so she hopes the company will take her seriously.
His parents threatened to punish him, but he didn't take them seriously, since he had not been punished before.
Most politicians take themselves too seriously.
Examples of take (someone or something) seriously in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Which means there’s a fourth SEC team to take seriously as an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed.
—
Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
And government officials similarly do not take seriously the possibility that such statements might have unintended consequences or inflict actual costs.
—Brandon J. Kinne, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2025
This will surely come across in these hearings if senators take seriously their responsibility to advise and consent on the president’s cabinet-level selections.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025
All of this for a tournament that remains largely unproven, and that many of the participating clubs may fail to take seriously.
—Pablo Maurer, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for take (someone or something) seriously 
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Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
And government officials similarly do not take seriously the possibility that such statements might have unintended consequences or inflict actual costs.
—Brandon J. Kinne, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2025
This will surely come across in these hearings if senators take seriously their responsibility to advise and consent on the president’s cabinet-level selections.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025
All of this for a tournament that remains largely unproven, and that many of the participating clubs may fail to take seriously.
—Pablo Maurer, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for take (someone or something) seriously
Dictionary Entries Near take (someone or something) seriously
take (someone or something) by surprise
take (someone or something) seriously
Cite this Entry
“Take (someone or something) seriously.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20%28someone%20or%20something%29%20seriously. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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