Definition of tasknext

task

2 of 2

verb

as in to entrust
to give a task, duty, or responsibility to I have been tasked by the host with bringing the pies for Thanksgiving this year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun task contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of task are assignment, chore, duty, job, and stint. While all these words 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

When can assignment be used instead of task?

The words assignment and task can be used in similar contexts, but assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

When might chore be a better fit than task?

While in some cases nearly identical to task, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

When would duty be a good substitute for task?

The meanings of duty and task largely overlap; however, duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

Where would job be a reasonable alternative to task?

The synonyms job and task are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

In what contexts can stint take the place of task?

While the synonyms stint and task are close in meaning, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of task
Noun
Additionally, utilization tends to increase with larger crews on the space station compared with smaller ones, as maintenance becomes less of a burden with more hands to take on these tasks. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 9 July 2026 Both new surgery residents and experienced surgeons also generally performed faster on practice tasks when using the controls of da Vinci Research Kit hardware—a standard for telerobotic surgery—compared to controlling the humanoid robots. Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
Verb
The topic resurfaced at Thursday's meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, the second federal body tasked with reviewing the arch. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 July 2026 The All-Star reserves were selected by the WNBA’s 15 head coaches, who were tasked with voting for three guards, five frontcourt players and four players at either position regardless of conference. Annie Costabile, New York Times, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • Last year’s grants paid for things like job skills training aimed at retaining nonprofit employees, specialized accounting services and a marketing program for thrift stores.
    Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
  • The Dream, however, snapped back to finish the job and put themselves back in the win column for the first time since June 22.
    Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • The pieces of it that Weiden shares with us, including a passage about Native athletes’ crucial role in the early history of the sport of football, are eye-opening.
    Chris Hewitt, Boston Herald, 10 July 2026
  • Symoné, who is reprising her role as Galleria, will also serve as an executive producer alongside Debra Martin Chase, according to Disney.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Uthmeier was previously the governor’s chief of staff and was entrusted to run DeSantis’ presidential campaign when his poll numbers were tanking.
    Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • These responsibilities are the reason society entrusts lawyers with responsibilities unlike those of any other profession.
    Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • His passion for politics began at a young age and stemmed from his father who served in the Army and imparted values about duty and service.
    Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
  • Still, politicians require more scrutiny than most − particularly when their health directly impacts their ability to perform their duties.
    Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
    Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 9 July 2026
  • First, only players with three years of NBA experience are eligible (even a portion of a season in the NBA counts as a year for two-way purposes).
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Gobao also claims the X1P's 500-Wh and 750-Wh batteries can charge up to 80% in about half an hour, using a 30-A charging power from the company.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 5 July 2026
  • Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, was charged with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operated by another person.
    Kelly O'Donnell, NBC news, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • To take Kim’s spot on the roster, the Braves returned infielder Kyle Farmer from his rehab assignment with Double-A Columbus.
    Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • The team designated right-hander Bryse Wilson for assignment to make room for Woodford on the roster.
    Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • Combining these diverse functions within a single material platform has remained one of the central challenges in advancing practical Li-S batteries, as per the release.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
  • The shop, storage, tools For a property that functions partly like a small operation, the garage with nine-foot-wide doors and shop are part of the package.
    David Caraccio Updated July 4, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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