take turns

idiomatic phrase

variants also British take it in turns

: to do something one after another in regular succession in order to share the responsibility or opportunity of doing it : alternate

We take turns washing the dishes.

Almost immediately, Rick and Diane begin videotaping their classroom lessons, letting their students take turns with the cameras.

—Ann Bradley

Several youths were around the phone, taking it in turns to gossip and joke with the operator.

—Christopher Isherwood

Examples of take turns in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many fans were also spotted climbing up the Bronco accessory ladder and hanging out in the tent of one model while others took turns hopping in and out of the driver seat. —Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 21 Sep. 2024

The teachers took turns walking us through the week. —Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2024

Early Thursday, the crew set another record when Isaacman and Gillis took turns floating just outside the capsule's hatch in the first non-government spacewalk ever conducted. —William Harwood, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2024

Beautiful vulnerability takes turns as if a joyful mushroom trip just went dark, forcing us to soberly look at the same memory through another lens. —Liza Lentini, SPIN, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above