take on
verb
took on; taken on; taking on; takes on
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
3
a
: to assume or acquire as or as if one's own
… the city's plaza takes on a carnival air.—
W. T. LeViness
W. T. LeViness
b
: to have as a mathematical domain or range
what values does the function take on
: to show one's feelings especially of grief or anger in a demonstrative way
… she cried, and took on like a distracted body …—Daniel Defoe
Daniel DefoeExamples 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
Given his dual background in pediatric and adult care, Robertson occasionally took on patients that had graduated from children’s neurology programs.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Dec. 2025
The gunners are usually the edge players taking on two blockers trying to defend punt returners.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
South Park takes on Amazon and Jeff Bezos (depicted as a Star Trek alien) in this episode, which finds the town’s residents boycotting the mega-corporation over its employment practices.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
While some brands have merely retraced the footsteps of their competitors in the sneaker loafer category, Asics is taking on the trend in its own way, applying legacy design language with elements that appeal to the modern consumer.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take on
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Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Dec. 2025
The gunners are usually the edge players taking on two blockers trying to defend punt returners.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
South Park takes on Amazon and Jeff Bezos (depicted as a Star Trek alien) in this episode, which finds the town’s residents boycotting the mega-corporation over its employment practices.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
While some brands have merely retraced the footsteps of their competitors in the sneaker loafer category, Asics is taking on the trend in its own way, applying legacy design language with elements that appeal to the modern consumer.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take on
Cite this Entry
“Take on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20on. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
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