task 1 of 2

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
Finding good Japanese food in London hasn’t always been the easiest task, given the city’s abundance of mediocre sushi takeaway spots and gaudy central London restaurants serving sub-par fish dressed up with too many bells and whistles. Liam Hess, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026 Instead of taking the dog to the vet herself, Bunting gave the dog to her boyfriend, who purportedly hit the dog with his car, dumped it in a lake, and took Bunting out to a nice dinner with the cash she was given for the task. Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
After being randomly split into two groups, they are tasked with creating a dessert that is centered around flavor profiles that test one of the four tastes—sweet, salty, sour, or bitter—combined with a specific texture. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026 The chair of the Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful economic officials in the world, tasked with combating inflation in the United States while also supporting maximum employment. Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • For Joseph, a couple of these jobs look like dead ends anyway.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
  • That should also decrease the likelihood of mass layoffs or displacement, giving workers a chance to find jobs elsewhere.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • What role did the press play in legitimizing American action in the Spanish American War and also bringing it to an end?
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • While working in a technical sales role at Amazon, Hua noticed that this same gap between IQ and EQ was a challenge for many people.
    Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This is not a failing of the principles of liberalism, however, but a failure of those entrusted to act in its name.
    Philip Mullins, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Between the river’s source, entrusted to an order of Orthodox nuns, and its southern delta, where caviar bound for the Kremlin is harvested, the author journeys through a defiant country transformed by war, sanctions, and reinvigorated patriotism.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • After Caroline's death, her daughter, Mary, became the acting first lady and took over White House hosting duties for the final few months of her father's presidency.
    Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In a consumer environment growing increasingly skeptical, leading with purpose and transparency builds trust and authority that will compound over time.
    Serenity Gibbons, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • In a prepared speech, Kristi Noem lied about the events, claiming Alex Pretti approached agents with a firearm, and that Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, came for the sole purpose of murder.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • As art director at the time, I was charged with the cover of the first edition.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man charged with the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, will appear in a Provo, Utah, courtroom Tuesday as his attorneys resume their questioning of Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray, whose office is prosecuting the case.
    Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 2 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The drones continuously exchange information, including position, health status, and target assignment.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
  • But military life can exact a high price, and for Glover, the constant deployments and assignments meant time away from his wife and four daughters.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Experts recommend managing chronic stress with mindfulness, meditation and consistent physical activity to help lower cortisol levels and support healthier metabolic function and weight regulation, per Cleveland Clinic.
    Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
  • In Mendonça’s work, memory functions as a tool of defiance.
    Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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