take on

verb

took on; taken on; taking on; takes on

transitive verb

1
a
: to begin to perform or deal with : undertake
took on new responsibilities
b
: to contend with as an opponent
took on the neighborhood bully
2
3
a
: to assume or acquire as or as if one's own
the city's plaza takes on a carnival airW. T. LeViness
b
: to have as a mathematical domain or range
what values does the function take on

intransitive verb

: to show one's feelings especially of grief or anger in a demonstrative way
she cried, and took on like a distracted bodyDaniel Defoe

Examples of take on in a Sentence

will take on his chief opponent in the next political debate decided to take her on as store manager
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The push for tools to address overdoses has taken on more urgency as deaths from synthetic opioids have skyrocketed in Texas and across the U.S. Fentanyl was identified as the likely cause of a surge of 79 overdoses in Austin last spring, which killed nine people. Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025 Merino has taken on the ‘big brother’ role in helping Zubimendi adjust to life at Arsenal. James McNicholas, New York Times, 23 July 2025 Ashlyn Harris is opening up about the toll her soccer career has taken on her body. Natasha Dye, People.com, 23 July 2025 Mango Margarita With Cuervo Reposado Transport your taste buds to the tropics with this lusciously smooth take on the classic margarita, capturing the essence of summer in every sip. Ronny Maye, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for take on

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of take on was in 1567

Cite this Entry

“Take on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20on. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

take on

verb
1
: to struggle with as an opponent
2
: employ entry 1 sense 2
took on more workers
3
: to acquire (as an appearance or quality) as one's own
take on weight
4
: to make an unusual show of one's feelings especially of grief or anger
don't take on so

More from Merriam-Webster on take on

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