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
But Claude accidentally made its target unreachable, rendering the task impossible to solve, Anthropic said. Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026 Show your team specifically which tasks are shifting and where that time is being redirected. Sonali Bloom, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
In September 2025, Francesca Bellettini was named Gucci’s president and chief executive officer, tasked with turning around the storied Italian fashion house, working with artistic director Demna. Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 But one area that has Chiefs fans a little nervous is the offensive line that will be tasked with keeping Mahomes upright. Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • Jeffrey Katzenberg, then a studio executive at Paramount Pictures, hand-picked the Happy Days star for the job, but at the time, Winkler had a bad feeling about accepting it.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • And Kyle was doing a great job of dialing up the right play calls.
    Vic Tafur, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The layer plays a vital role in absorbing the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, which can cause diseases such as skin cancer.
    Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The 2,000-pound bombs have been employed by Israel on hundreds of occasions in Gaza and Lebanon, playing a significant role in the death toll of those conflicts.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Foreign leaders continue debating who should be entrusted to rebuild Gaza, as though Palestinians will not reclaim freedom with our own hands and rebuild it ourselves.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Nonprofit leaders are entrusted with missions, resources, sensitive information and decisions that can directly affect communities.
    Ekramy El Zaghat, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Even once the hospital began to review the spike in infant mortality and connections to Letby’s work shifts — and even after the nurse had been placed on administrative duties in July 2016 — police weren’t called until May 2017.
    Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Ultimately, what convinced many of her colleagues was the reassurance that citizens would not have decisional power; the parliament had a duty to consider their recommendations but could decide not to adopt them.
    Esther King, The Dial, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But more is not a purpose, and scale is not automatically success.
    Michelle De Almeida, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The language of exploitation and cultural extraction gave the battle a purpose that seemed to extend well beyond either rapper.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Walsh, 40, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder on Friday, police announced.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Bossell is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and tampering with a motor vehicle in connection with the death of 29-year-old Graham Hoffman.
    Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • With the woeful Colorado Rockies coming to the Bronx, the Yankees could, effectively, treat those three games as the equivalent of a minor league rehab assignment for Judge.
    Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In 1963, Gloria Steinem went undercover for a journalism assignment as a Playboy bunny, exposing degrading working conditions that forced policy changes.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • On October 4, 2016, the famously quiet, reserved fighter picked up her phone, opened her Twitter (now ‘X’ ) app and clicked on the ‘search’ function.
    Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The overwhelming response from our community reflects the strength of pairing On’s innovative heritage with our deep understanding of women and our passion for blending function with style.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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