took one for the team
Accepted group's burden
Took one for the team means accepting a personal sacrifice or unpleasant task for the benefit of a group.
The phrase comes from sports—a batter hit by a pitch advances to first base, helping the team despite the pain.
It now applies broadly: I took one for the team and sat through the boring meeting so you didn't have to.
- selflessnessPrioritizing others over oneself
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
- greater goodCollective benefit over personal
- generosityReadiness to give freely
solidarity · martyrdom · perseverance · shared goals · mutual support · stepping up · grit · compromise · bite the bullet · duty · forfeiture · fall guy · scapegoat · fortitude · camaraderie · good sport · accountability · toughness
took one for the teamevery man for himself
Chaotic self-interest declaration
took one for the teamstabbed in the back
Treacherously harmed by trusted person
sold out · abandoned ship · left high and dry · hung out to dry · defected
took one for the teampassed the buck
Transferred accountability elsewhere
ducked out · shirked · copped out · chickened out · bailed
takers, retake, retakes, retook, retaken, undertake, undertook, undertaken, undertaking