task

1 of 2

noun

ˈtask 

plural tasks

1

a

: a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time

b

: something hard or unpleasant that has to be done

c

: duty, function

2

: subjection to adverse criticism : reprimand

… the state government was called to task for not doing more to help the area around the casinos.

—Stephanie Powers

In the NFL, coaches often aren't brought to task for their worst decisions even after games.

—Rodger Sherman

see also take to task

task

2 of 2

verb

tasked; tasking; tasks

transitive verb

1

: to assign a task to

employees tasked with updating the files

2

: to oppress with great labor

tasks his mind with petty details

3

obsolete : to impose a tax on

Synonyms

Noun

• job
• duty
• assignment

Verb

• entrust
• charge
• assign
• trust

Choose the Right Synonym for task

task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done.

task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

Examples of task in a Sentence

Noun

Our first task is to review the budget.

one of my tasks in the morning is to make lunches for everyone in the family

Verb

I have been tasked by the host with bringing the pies for Thanksgiving this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As pompous actor Garry, Nehal Joshi aces the tough task of making his character’s halting, inarticulate speech sound authentic. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025

Designating two people at the popular neighborhood association to check each other on the task of distributing millions in this age of technology would have spared a vibrant neighborhood a lot of consequences. —Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025

Verb

For years, the North Korean government has found a burgeoning source of sanctions-evading revenue by tasking its citizens with secretly applying for remote tech jobs in the West. —Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 30 June 2025

American intervention in Latin America has often been premised on the condescending notion that the U.S. is a forbearing parent, the stable democracy tasked with maintaining order in its hemisphere. —Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English taske, from Middle French dialect (Picardy, Flanders) tasque, from Medieval Latin tasca tax or service imposed by a feudal superior, alteration of *taxa, from taxare to tax

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing task

• brought to task
• called to task
• sub-task
• take to task
• task bar
• task force
• the task at hand

Rhymes for task

• ask
• bask
• basque
• cask
• casque
• flask
• mask
• masque
• pasch
• subtask
• unmask

Kids Definition

task

noun

ˈtask

: a piece of assigned work

Medical Definition

task

noun

ˈtask 

: the performance that is required of the subject in a psychological experiment or test and that is usually communicated to a human subject by verbal instructions