take in

/teɪk‿ˈɪn/

//teɪk‿ˈɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"take-in" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“take in” 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
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To receive.

Key facts for take in
PropertyValue
Headwordtake in
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/teɪk‿ˈɪn/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “take in” sits in English frequency

take in 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 in is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /teɪk‿ˈɪn/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for take in, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is take in, spelled T-A-K-E- -I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To receive.
  2. 2
    To receive and properly absorb or comprehend.
  3. 3
    To enjoy or appreciate.
  4. 4
    To allow a person or an animal to live in one's home.
  5. 5
    To receive (goods) into one's home for the purpose of processing for a fee.
  6. 6
    To shorten (a garment) or make it smaller.
  7. 7
    To attend a showing of.
  8. 8
    To deceive; to hoodwink.
  9. 9
    To tighten (a belaying rope).
  10. 10
    To subscribe to home delivery of.
  11. 11
    To reef.
  12. 12
    To arrest (a person).

This word in other languages

procesar(Español)absorber(Français)einwickeln(Deutsch)acolher(Português)

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 in"?
"take in" is spelled T-A-K-E- -I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /teɪk‿ˈɪn/.
What does "take in" mean?
As a verb, "take in" means: To receive.
How do you pronounce "take in"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "take in" is /teɪk‿ˈɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "take in" come from?
"take in" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 in”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-K-E- -I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /teɪk‿ˈɪn/ (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