take a toll
Wear someone down
To take a toll is to cause gradual damage, strain, or depletion over time.
The phrase comes from the fee charged for passage—something is extracted as the cost of continuing: Years of stress had taken a toll on her health.
The toll may be physical, emotional, or financial: The scandal took its toll on his reputation.
- strainExcessive stretching force
- emotional strainPsychological pressure and fatigue
- damageHarm or impairment
- sufferExperience pain or distress
- mental healthEmotional and cognitive well-being
fatigue · impact · harm · affect · drag · ache · attrition · hardship · grind down · run down · ravages · stress · long hours · exhaustion · consequences · erosion · deterioration · burnout
take a tollpreserve
Protect from loss
protect · safeguard · spare · pay dividends · do no harm
take a tollrejuvenate
Restore youthful vigor
restore · replenish · revitalize · reinvigorate · heal
take, takes, taken, taking, taker, takers, toll, tolls, tolled