TAKES ON Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

takes on

verb

present tense third-person singular of take on

as in faces

to enter into contest or conflict with will take on his chief opponent in the next political debate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in employs

to provide with a paying job decided to take her on as store manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in borrows

to take for one's own use (something originated by another) recently arrived immigrants who are eager to take on the language and culture of their adopted homeland

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 takes on If no candidate secures a majority of the vote in Tuesday's primary, the contest could head to a runoff later this month to determine who takes on Democrat Annie Andrews in November. — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Shadowbox takes on management of Kaufman Astoria after a tumultuous period at the studios. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026 Joshua takes on heavyweight contender Kristian Prenga in the main event of an overall strong card. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Charlize Theron, who takes on the role of the temptress nymph Calypso, has leaned toward the seductive, wearing Tom Ford short-shorts on one carpet and a black Givenchy dress with a thigh-high slit on another. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 An InStyle writer gathered seven dimensional takes on the trend to inspire your next salon visit, ahead. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 July 2026 Belgium takes on the United States later Monday for a spot in the quarterfinals. — ABC News, 6 July 2026 Brazil takes on Japan in an enticing first game of the day, while the Netherlands and Morocco meet in one of the more balanced matchups of the round. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 29 June 2026 Some of the 32 students will head to Boston Stadium on Friday, as Norway takes on France in one of the premier contests on the entire World Cup slate to date. — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 26 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for takes on

Verb

Hernandez faces two federal counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death.

— Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Geopolitical tensions are bringing critical dependencies and chokepoints into sharper focus, while Europe faces growing security threats on its doorstep.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of faces

Verb

The company has invested more than $2 billion in the Lansing facility since 2022 and currently employs about 900 people there.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026
Green said the nonprofit sector employs almost 10% of California’s workforce and generates more than $450 billion in annual revenue, about a third of which comes from public grants and contracts.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of employs

Verb

But a platform that borrows the tricks of a casino has turned an investing tool into a gambling product, and should not be surprised when its customers, and then its regulators, notice too.

— Daniel Schlaepfer, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
California's high-speed rail project could run out of money as soon as December 2027, the project's inspector general warned in a recent review — unless the state borrows billions to keep construction on schedule.

— August 11, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of borrows

Verb

Catton’s ecological collective occupies unused land to grow food, but then encounters a fabulously wealthy man with his own plans for the landscape.

— Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
According to the company, if Fi0 encounters a task outside its existing capabilities, a human can provide a single demonstration.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of encounters

Verb

The instrumentation adopts the Tambour’s graphic language, using cobalt blue dials and orange markings.

— Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
The artist adopts a schizoid persona, with multiple voices flowing out of him, and swerves between lucid social criticism—about the history of slavery or of higher education—and total gibberish.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of adopts

Verb

Rudolf is the standout pacemaker in Europe, touring the continent to be a ‘rabbit’ for top athletes, most notably at Diamond League meets.

— Liam Tharme, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
The Illinois Tollway board, which meets today, is expected to green-light a steep increase in tolls.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of meets

Verb

The Paramount+ spy thriller, now in its third season, follows Joe, the leader of the CIA’s covert Lioness Program, which recruits female operatives to befriend women connected to high-value terrorist targets.

— Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
Saldaña plays Joe McNamara, a CIA station chief leading the covert Lioness unit, which recruits and trains female soldiers for global counter-terrorism missions, balancing this with a challenging family life.

— Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026