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
Acquisitions—such as Meta acquiring autonomous agent platform Manus and OpenAI acquiring open-source agent engine OpenClaw—demonstrate that investors and consumers value end-to-end task completion. Pranjal Saxena, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026 The Yampu's pack is optimized for a different task, the high-frequency demands of its bulk cargo shuttle routine. New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
Arévalo was tasked with not only freeing a state captured by kleptocrats, but also strengthening one that was fundamentally weak. Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026 Miami has one of the youngest teams, one in which several rookies are tasked with starting roles. Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • The lingerers brought their dirty dishes to the bus tub, wiped their mouths one last time with a napkin, and waved to Cleo, their faces saying, Nice job!
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Tasked with the assignment of retrieving the escapees is Bob (Knoxville, sporting a blonde dye job), a 50-year-old counselor whose job is on the line.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But the leading candidate for the role is future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Legendary France boss Didier Deschamps stepped down from his role following the World Cup, meaning Mbappé will have to get used to a new national team coach for the first time.
    Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Women need to be entrusted with the roles, businesses and transformations that create the next generation of CEOs.
    WWD Staff, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • State attorneys general argued that the Constitution entrusts states, not federal officials, to conduct elections.
    Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Let the national flag float over every schoolhouse in the country and the exercises be such as shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duties of American citizenship.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Pembroke Pines officers asked the sheriff’s office to handle the homicide investigation — John retired from the Pembroke Pines Police Department following nearly 28 years of service and his on-duty motorcycle crash.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The domestication of transposons for new purposes has also been implicated in the evolution of the placenta — a defining feature of nearly all mammals.
    Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • If the customer has already left the store, a prompt telephone report may serve a similar purpose.
    Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The case drew national attention and became racially charged, with supporters of Anthony criticizing the lack of Black jurors and calling for his acquittal, while supporters of the Metcalf family gathered outside the courthouse seeking justice.
    James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • People might think a little harder about whether to buy a home if mortgage rates are higher — or whether to take that business loan if banks are charging more.
    Scott Horsley, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • When asked if the issues was personnel, in-experience, technique, assignment, discomfort, Tabor, who has been a special teams coordinator for five NFL teams over a 15-year period, brushed off the question.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Urquidy, designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, was claimed off waivers Thursday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Studies have used everything from intensive classroom instruction to short daily sessions with language-learning apps, over periods ranging from weeks to months, to see whether language learning can improve cognitive function.
    Karen Stollznow, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Maddaloni joined Kering in 2017 as group tax director, leading a transformation of the tax function and contributing to the company’s compliance and risk-management framework.
    Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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