take a/its toll

idiom

: to have a serious, bad effect on someone or something : to cause harm or damage
If you keep working so hard, the stress will eventually take its toll.
often + on
Too much sunlight can take a (heavy) toll on your skin.
Her illness has taken a toll on her marriage.

Examples of take a/its toll in a Sentence

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Cleaning is a given, but also avoid exposing your case to extreme temperatures, as heat and cold can take a toll on its materials. Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2024 Loneliness, which is now something of a modern epidemic, can take a toll on mental and physical health. Mark Travers, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024 The victory, though sweet, began to take its toll on Vázquez. Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024 Vitruvi Cloud Humidifier $229 Amazon Cold winter nights usually call for a heater—and the requisite dry air, which can take a toll on your sinuses. Annie Blackman, Allure, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for take a/its toll 

Dictionary Entries Near take a/its toll

Cite this Entry

“Take a/its toll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%2Fits%20toll. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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