take after

verb

took after; taken after; taking after; takes after

transitive verb

: to resemble (someone) in features, build, character, or disposition
a daughter who takes after her mother
"That's Tulliver's son," said the publican to a grocer standing on the adjacent door-step. "Ah!" said the grocer, "I thought I knew his features. He takes after his mother's family."George Eliot
"His father was lazy but his mother hasn't a lazy bone in her body, and Peter takes after her."Lucy Maud Montgomery

Examples of take after in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In 2021, Disneyland updated Jessica Rabbit’s look in the Anaheim park from her red dress to a trench coat, allegedly more in line with her new career as a private investigator, taking after Bob Hoskins’ Eddie Valliant in the project. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2024 Fueled by a combination of grief, curiosity, and determination, Billy did indeed take after his birth mother to create something both fantastical and very real in terms of its consequences. Caroline Framke, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024 Photos taken after the second shooting showed at least five bullet holes in the office's windows and door. Julia Reinstein, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2024 Tommy, taking after his uncle Pietro, can move at superhuman speed, while Billy shares Wanda’s magical abilities. Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for take after 

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take after was in 1627

Dictionary Entries Near take after

Cite this Entry

“Take after.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20after. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on take after

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!