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 + onToo 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
Recent Examples on the Web
Following my herniation and tracheotomy, things really began to take a toll on me.
—
Christy Bullock, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Shooting for two days in the hot Atlanta sun began to take its toll on her.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
After two months with Sylvia this had begun to take its toll.
—Kevin Barry, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Constantly monitoring blood sugar levels and administering insulin injections can take a toll both physically and mentally.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The grind of the position seemed to take a toll on the Rojas last year.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
The higher bond yields and the postponement of any rate cuts continue to take a toll on some of the interest rate sensitive sectors of the market, like banks, utilities, and real estate.
—Bill Stone, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024
Vengeance, no matter how righteous, can take a toll.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Doing both, however, can take its toll, especially with a demanding tour schedule.
—Pam Windsor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Christy Bullock, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Shooting for two days in the hot Atlanta sun began to take its toll on her.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
After two months with Sylvia this had begun to take its toll.
—Kevin Barry, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Constantly monitoring blood sugar levels and administering insulin injections can take a toll both physically and mentally.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The grind of the position seemed to take a toll on the Rojas last year.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
The higher bond yields and the postponement of any rate cuts continue to take a toll on some of the interest rate sensitive sectors of the market, like banks, utilities, and real estate.
—Bill Stone, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024
Vengeance, no matter how righteous, can take a toll.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Doing both, however, can take its toll, especially with a demanding tour schedule.
—Pam Windsor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take a/its toll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 3 May. 2024.
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