# taken

/ˈteɪkən/ (US) · /tˈeɪkən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/taken
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. past participle of take

verb · CEFR A1

the form of 'take' used after 'have' or 'be'.

For teachers: the past participle of the irregular verb 'take'. Used in the formation of perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.

- I have taken this medicine every morning for a week.
- The decision was taken after several hours of intense deliberation by the board of directors.

Usage: As a past participle, it requires an auxiliary verb like 'have' or 'be'.

### 2. in a relationship

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

already in a romantic relationship and not available to date others.

For teachers: unavailable for romantic pursuit due to being in a committed relationship.

- I'm sorry, but I'm already taken and I'm very happy with my partner.
- He didn't realize she was already taken until he saw her wedding ring during the dinner party.

Teaching tip: This is a very common way to politely decline a romantic advance in social settings.

### 3. very attracted to

adjective · CEFR B2 · Literary

to be very impressed by or attracted to someone or something.

For teachers: captivated, infatuated, or highly impressed by a person, idea, or object. Often follows the verb 'be' and takes the preposition 'with'.

- He was quite taken with the small village and decided to stay for another week.
- The critics were clearly taken with the young pianist's debut performance, praising her technical precision and emotional depth.

Usage: Usually follows the pattern 'be taken with' or 'be taken by'.

## Examples

- Someone has taken my seat.
- The last available flight to London was taken by a passenger who arrived just minutes before me.
- Having taken all the necessary precautions, the research team felt confident that the experiment would proceed without any further technical interruptions or safety risks.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.