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

• assignment
• chore
• duty
• job

Verb

• assign
• charge
• commission
• entrust
• intrust
• 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

Videos from those who have used it show that sometimes the device can take several seconds to process a request, occasionally taking up to 10 seconds to do a simple task like sending a text message. —Kyle Barr, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024

However, this is a perilous task that demands immense effort. —Doc Louallen, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2024

Young is encouraging others to take part in the task, too. —Denise Chow, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024

He’s also shown relying on his spirituality to guide him through each difficult task. —Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

The picture was released in film formats, which was a herculean task at the time as many theaters had switched over to digital projectors. —Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024

Building a perennial powerhouse in line with Iowa, UConn and South Carolina is a tougher task. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024

Ammon said the daily tasks in Rejoyn could be beneficial for patients. —Korin Miller, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2024

As election officials consider using new AI tools in their day-to-day tasks, the lack of meaningful regulation risks putting some voting access in harm’s way even as AI unlocks time-saving opportunities for short-staffed offices. —Mekela Panditharatne, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

Verb

She also was tasked with the job of prop assistant. —Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024

They have been tasked with developing Vicky, a virtual friend powered by artificial intelligence. —Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

Both teams were in the same group at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands and Vermes was tasked with seeing why there was so much buzz around this Messi kid. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2024

He is tasked with recovering a stash of money hidden by his late father, cartel leader Benito Aretas, and avenging his death by assassinating those responsible for his arrest and conviction. —Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024

Its commission is also tasked with consulting outside groups, including universities, civic organizations and historical societies, for publicity and educational outreach. —Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 12 Apr. 2024

Shortly before my maternal health rollercoaster began, I was tasked with updating our company’s maternal health care policy. —Jennifer Young, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024

Seligman, Ostroff and Terrell all serve on the Paramount board’s independent committee tasked with evaluating offers. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024

Four Huskies are in foul trouble, including the two big men tasked with defending Edey: Johnson and Clingan both have four fouls. —NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024

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

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

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