multitasking

noun

mul·​ti·​task·​ing ˈməl-tē-ˌta-skiŋ How to pronounce multitasking (audio)
-ˌtī-
often attributive
1
: the concurrent performance of several jobs by a computer
2
: the performance of multiple tasks at one time
The job requires a person who is good at multitasking.
multitask intransitive verb

Examples of multitasking in a Sentence

The job requires someone who is good at multitasking.
Recent Examples on the Web These tasks are hard on their own and even more challenging to do at once, but this forced multitasking is actually designed to sharpen attention. Celia Ford, WIRED, 21 Aug. 2023 Such multitasking is necessary as the search for childcare – already difficult before the pandemic - became harder during the health crisis and has yet to recover, Kramer said. Charisse Jones, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023 Book Now Brigit Bakery's Classic Afternoon Tea Bus Tea is meant to be civilized, but that's not necessarily to the exclusion of some comfortable multitasking. Sarah Bray, Town & Country, 21 June 2023 However, multitasking seems to have also encouraged this culture of growing distractions. Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2023 Lardent said Lara was a safe pilot but had trouble with multitasking and with situational awareness. CBS News, 23 Mar. 2023 Nation/World During the pandemic, planetary scientist Robert Herrick took advantage of hours of Zoom meetings to do some extraterrestrial multitasking - and discovered evidence that, as recently as 1991, a volcano erupted on Venus. Carolyn Y. Johnson, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Mar. 2023 Multitasking is actually one of the biggest time sucks out there for businesses, with only 2.5% of people being able to multitask effectively. Mike Kappel, Forbes, 15 June 2022 Research has repeatedly shown that multitasking does not work. Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'multitasking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of multitasking was in 1966

Dictionary Entries Near multitasking

Cite this Entry

“Multitasking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multitasking. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

multitasking

noun
mul·​ti·​task·​ing -ˌtas-kiŋ How to pronounce multitasking (audio)
: the performance of multiple tasks at one time especially by a computer
multitask verb

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