taken

taken — verb

1. the form of the verb 'take' that is used together with 'have' or 'had' to talk a

1.verbA2
Definition

the form of the verb 'take' that is used together with 'have' or 'had' to talk about actions completed in the past, or together with 'be' to describe an action done to someone or something rather than by them.

Example

Sora has taken his younger brother to the library twice this week.

present perfect: have/has + taken

The photograph of the old market was taken on a rainy afternoon in Kyoto.

passive: be + taken

Grammar Patterns

have/has/had + taken

be + taken (passive)

Usage Note

This sense is a grammatical form only. For meanings and usage of the base verb, see the entry for TAKE. 'Taken' serves as the past participle in all verb senses of 'take', without exception.

Common Mistakes

I have took the train
I have taken the train.
'took' is the simple past form; 'taken' is the past participle required after 'have' or 'had'.
The package was took away
The package was taken away.
use 'taken' (not 'took') after the passive auxiliary 'be'.

taken — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a positive reaction to someone or something, but they differ in intensity and focus. 'Impressed' is the broadest and most neutral — it signals respect or admiration based on evidence of skill or quality ('I was impressed by her presentation'). 'Charmed' adds a layer of delight and warmth, often in social or aesthetic contexts ('He was charmed by the village's old streets'). 'Captivated' is the strongest, suggesting full attention held by something fascinating ('The children were captivated by the storyteller'). 'Taken with' (the adjectival use of 'taken') sits between 'impressed' and 'charmed' — it conveys genuine admiration with a hint of personal attraction or emotional connection, without being as intense as 'captivated'. Example: 'Theo was taken with the quiet confidence of the older students.'

impressed ↗charmedcaptivateddrawn to

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be taken with the idea of...
  • be taken by someone's charm
  • immediately taken with

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Taken' is the past participle form of the verb 'take', which entered English from Old Norse 'taka' (to take, grasp) during the Viking settlement period (9th–10th centuries). The Old Norse word replaced the native Old English 'niman' (to take), which eventually fell out of use. The adjective sense ('impressed by, attracted to') developed in the 18th century, originally in the phrase 'taken with' meaning 'affected by a strong emotion or interest'.