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
Cybersecurity teams are using AI to automate tasks and prioritize vulnerabilities. — Haris Pylarinos, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Brands that treat their product data as a static, one-time setup task are going to fall behind here. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 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
  • If your job or business uses a bill counter continuously and all day, triple-check that it’s rated for continuous and constant use.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Hiring remains well below the 166,000 monthly jobs created, on average, in 2023 and 2024, and the 491,000 a month recorded during the 2021-2022 hiring boom that followed COVID-19 lockdowns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 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
  • Menace can stand behind the DJ decks wearing the mask his family entrusted to him while his father performs inside the ring.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The second charge involved a package in January 2025, when prosecutors alleged Wallace embezzled a parcel entrusted to her as a Postal Service employee.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 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
  • Further, while about 4,000 workers across Hartford HealthCare’s hospitals, ambulatory locations, and support functions will benefit from this increase, an additional 4,000 will benefit from compression adjustments, the documents show.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Made from porous nickel pyrophosphate (Ni2P2O7), an advanced nanomaterial, the memristor senses humidity and mimics functions associated with biological memory.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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