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
Intentionally or not, this makes Cal’s conversation with Armand, his unwilling informant inside Dwight’s organization, harder to take seriously.
—
Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
Shareholder activists have evolved over the years, from a niche group of daring individuals to a sophisticated and well-funded class of investors that boards must take seriously.
—Jeff Jacobs, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
During the primary season, Bernie Sanders, a politician whom the Democratic establishment didn’t take seriously, performed unexpectedly well by running to the left of Hillary Clinton on economic issues.
—Nicholas Lemann, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
But Don Gato is being marketed as an additive-free brand, something that tequila fans do take seriously.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for take (someone or something) seriously 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
Shareholder activists have evolved over the years, from a niche group of daring individuals to a sophisticated and well-funded class of investors that boards must take seriously.
—Jeff Jacobs, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
During the primary season, Bernie Sanders, a politician whom the Democratic establishment didn’t take seriously, performed unexpectedly well by running to the left of Hillary Clinton on economic issues.
—Nicholas Lemann, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
But Don Gato is being marketed as an additive-free brand, something that tequila fans do take seriously.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2024
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 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share