take issue

idiomatic phrase

: to adopt or express an opposed or contrary view or position : disagree
Though a barbecuing Southerner may take issue, Texas-style and Korean barbecue have much in common.Anito Lo
usually used with with
She took issue with the conclusions reached by the study.
Carolyn Nichols, an editor at Bantam, took issue with the notion that romance fiction is escapist.Charles Trueheart
Despite the proliferation of all means of communications, from magazines to computers, books remain our chief medium for the full expression of ideas, and for taking issue with those of others.Robert R. Harris

Examples of take issue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Rubio isn't the first to take issue with this inquiry from reporters. Sarah Gleason, USA TODAY, 19 May 2024 Critics have also taken issue with helping a facility that builds parts for nuclear weapons. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 17 May 2024 Denver Police also took issue with the Laramie County sheriff's message. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 16 May 2024 After the audit was publicly released earlier this year, some state officials took issue with its findings. Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 15 May 2024 While the company has had a flexible schedule since the pandemic hit, Ratcliffe took issue with the 20% decrease in traffic on remote-mostly Fridays. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 8 May 2024 In a recognition of how the parties might see the opinion, the National Republican Senatorial Committee took issue with a draft of the measure a day before it was formalized. Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 5 May 2024 Aiyuk’s agent recently took issue with a report that Aiyuk had requested a trade. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024 That survey -- which had become a source of pretrial contention -- can now proceed without changing any of the questions, including the nine with which prosecutors have taken issue. Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take issue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take issue was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near take issue

Cite this Entry

“Take issue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20issue. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

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