take away

/ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/

//ˌteɪk əˈweɪ// verb

"take-away" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“take away” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To remove something and put it in a different place.

Key facts for take away
PropertyValue
Headwordtake away
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “take away” sits in English frequency

take away falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for take away is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for take away, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is take away, spelled T-A-K-E- -A-W-A-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove something and put it in a different place.
  2. 2
    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.
  3. 3
    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.
  4. 4
    To subtract or diminish something.
  5. 5
    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.
  6. 6
    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.
  7. 7
    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "take away"?
"take away" is spelled T-A-K-E- -A-W-A-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/.
What does "take away" mean?
As a verb, "take away" means: To remove something and put it in a different place.
How do you pronounce "take away"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "take away" is /ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "take away" come from?
"take away" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “take away”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-K-E- -A-W-A-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list