takeaway

takeaway — noun

1. the most important piece of information or the main idea that someone remembers

1.nounB2
Definition

the most important piece of information or the main idea that someone remembers after reading, hearing, or taking part in something, such as a speech, article, meeting, or conversation.

Example

The takeaway from Dr. Okafor's talk was that sleep affects memory more than people realise.

main takeaway from [source] — common pattern

Imani said her biggest takeaway from the report was the need for faster climate action.

Common collocations
  • main takeaway
  • key takeaway
  • biggest takeaway
  • important takeaway
  • takeaway from
Synonyms
  • lesson

    broader and more personal, often implying moral growth rather than factual information

  • conclusion

    more formal, refers to the endpoint of reasoning or analysis

  • finding

    used in research contexts, implies systematic investigation or discovery

Grammar Patterns

takeaway + from + [source]

Usage Note

Often preceded by main, key, or biggest. This sense is very common in business, education, and media contexts where the speaker wants to highlight the single most relevant point from an experience.

Common Mistakes

The takeaway of the meeting was clear.
The takeaway from the meeting was clear.
The correct preposition is from, not of.
I have many takeaways about the problem.
I have many takeaways from looking at the problem.
Use from + source, not about + topic.

2. a meal that a customer buys at a food outlet and carries to a different place, u

2.nounA2
Definition

a meal that a customer buys at a food outlet and carries to a different place, usually home, to eat; the word can also describe the business that sells this kind of food.

Example

Liam ordered a Chinese takeaway and ate it on the sofa while watching a film.

verb collocation: order a takeaway

There is a good Indian takeaway around the corner that delivers until midnight.

Common collocations
  • order a takeaway
  • get a takeaway
  • buy a takeaway
  • pick up a takeaway
  • Chinese takeaway
  • Indian takeaway
  • pizza takeaway
Synonyms
  • takeout

    the standard American English term for the same concept

  • carryout

    regional US term, common in the Midwest and parts of the East Coast

  • food delivery

    refers to food brought to your door rather than collected by you

Grammar Patterns

a/an + takeaway

[type] + takeaway

Usage Note

This is the standard term in British English. In American English, the equivalent word is takeout. Also used to describe the type of cuisine: a Chinese takeaway, an Indian takeaway.

Common Mistakes

I ordered a takeaway in the restaurant.
I ordered a takeaway from the restaurant and ate it at home.
A takeaway is eaten elsewhere, not inside the restaurant.
Let's get takeout food tonight.' (if speaking British English)
Let's get a takeaway tonight.
In British English, the term is takeaway; takeout is American.

3. the action of gaining control of the ball from a player on the other team during

3.nounB2
Definition

the action of gaining control of the ball from a player on the other team during a game, either by catching a pass meant for an opponent or by picking up a ball that the opponent dropped, most commonly in American football.

Example

The defensive team forced two takeaways in the final quarter, which turned the game around.

sports pattern: forced takeaways — defensive action

Andrés intercepted the pass for his third takeaway and ran the ball forty yards.

Common collocations
  • force a takeaway
  • get a takeaway
  • record a takeaway
  • takeaway battle
  • takeaway margin
Synonyms
  • turnover

    broader term in sports; a takeaway causes a turnover, but a turnover can also happen without a defensive action (e.g., a team loses the ball on downs)

  • interception

    a specific type of takeaway where a pass meant for the opponent is caught by a defender

  • recovery

    picking up a fumbled ball; a subtype of takeaway

Antonyms
  • giveaway

    the opposite concept — losing possession of the ball to the other team

Grammar Patterns

a/an + takeaway

number + takeaways

Usage Note

Most common in American football commentary and analysis. Also used in basketball (taking possession from the opponent) and hockey (taking the puck). The opposite concept is a giveaway (losing possession).

Common Mistakes

The player scored a takeaway.
The player forced a takeaway.
You do not score a takeaway; you force, get, or record one.
He made a takeaway in the first minute.
He got a takeaway in the first minute.
The verb make is not used with takeaway in sports contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Takeaway, lesson, conclusion, and finding all refer to something learned from an experience or information source, but they differ in scope and context. Takeaway is the most practical and commonly used in workplace or media settings — it implies a specific, memorable insight you carry away from a meeting, speech, or article. Lesson is broader, often carrying a moral or corrective implication gained from personal experience (the lesson from failing an exam). Conclusion is more formal and logical, referring to an endpoint of reasoning or analysis (the conclusion of the research paper). Finding is typically used in research or investigative contexts, pointing to a result discovered through systematic inquiry. While 'the main takeaway from the talk was X' and 'the main conclusion from the talk was X' can overlap, takeaway emphasizes personal relevance and memorability, whereas conclusion emphasizes logical derivation.

lesson ↗conclusion ↗finding ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Takeaway is formed from the verb phrase take away (meaning 'to remove or carry off'), which has been in English since the 1300s. The noun form first emerged in British English in the mid-1900s to describe food bought from a shop to eat elsewhere. By the 1960s, American sports commentators had borrowed the term to describe defensive plays that took possession of the ball from the opponent. The metaphorical sense — a key message to remember — developed more recently, becoming widespread in business and media language during the 2000s.