Cool MateAccept vs Take him in
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Accept
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Take him in
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Accept
| Accept | Take him in | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əkˈsept/","/əkˈsepts/","/əkˈseptɪd/","/əkˈseptɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əkˈsept/","/əkˈsepts/","/əkˈseptɪd/","/əkˈseptɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //teɪk hɪm ɪn//🇺🇸 //teɪk hɪm ɪn// |
| Meaning | To agree to receive something or to believe it is true. | To accept someone into your home or group. |
| Example | I am happy to accept your invitation to the party. | After the storm, we decided to take him in until he could get back on his feet. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | eagerly, gladly, graciously, be glad to, be happy to, be reluctant to, from, happily, readily, fully, be happy to, be prepared to, be ready to, be commonly accepted, be generally accepted, be universally accepted, eagerly, gladly, graciously, be glad to, be happy to, be reluctant to, from, happily, readily, fully, be happy to, be prepared to, be ready to, be commonly accepted, be generally accepted, be universally accepted, happily, readily, fully, be happy to, be prepared to, be ready to, be commonly accepted, be generally accepted, be universally accepted | take in a guest, take him in warmly, take her in without hesitation |
| Antonyms | reject, decline, refuse | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'except' - remember 'accept' means to receive., Using 'accept' without an object - always specify what is being accepted., Mixing up 'accept' and 'admit' - 'accept' is about receiving, while 'admit' often implies recognition. | Confusing with 'take in' which means to absorb information., Incorrectly using past tense without 'him' (e.g., 'took him in'). |
| Usage notes | Used when someone agrees to something offered, like an invitation or a proposal. It's appropriate in both formal and casual contexts but may become less common in very informal speech. | Used in informal contexts to describe accepting someone. Not appropriate in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Accept vs Take him in
What's the difference between Accept and Take him in?
Accept: To agree to receive something or to believe it is true. Take him in: To accept someone into your home or group.
Which is more common: Accept and Take him in?
Accept is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Accept: I am happy to accept your invitation to the party. Take him in: After the storm, we decided to take him in until he could get back on his feet.
Can I use Accept and Take him in interchangeably?
Not always. Accept and Take him in are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.