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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Closing out the evening at Louis Armstrong Stadium, American Learner Tien takes on Russian Karen Khachanov, hoping to join compatriots Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen in the last eight. — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Sep. 2026 Newport Harbor is 9-0 and takes on Edison and Marina in league matches this week before beginning play in the Dave Mohs tournament. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Hylton takes on a task that has for many years been anchored by Alex Witt. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for takes on

Verb

The nurturing Moon in your sign faces shocking Uranus in your 7th House of Partnership, so your needs and someone else’s ask for balance.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026
McBride faces Arminio for lone House seat The nominees for Delaware's only House seat were also decided, with incumbent Sarah McBride – the first trans person elected to Congress – winning the Democratic nomination after running unopposed.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of faces

Verb

For example, two different Chinese rockets have landed successfully in the past few months, one of which employs foldable landing legs just like a Falcon 9 first stage.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2026
The group said the mine — an informal site that employs unregulated workers — lacked basic safety and protective measures.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of employs

Verb

This visualizer borrows the format of the DROID Dataset Visualizer — many thanks for making the source code openly available.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2026
The artist chosen for the commission is Nawin Nuthong, whose work borrows elements from interactive gaming.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of borrows

Verb

Sometimes the upgrade is simply removing friction before the guest encounters it.

— Jeffery Khoury, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
The lawsuit describes disturbing encounters seven Common Cause members had with federal officers in Maryland, Minnesota and New Jersey after trying to observe immigration enforcement.

— Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of encounters

Verb

In order to solidify his cover in Tehran and throw off the story’s villain, Qasim (Navid Negahban, Kandahar), Tucker hires a young Iranian-American woman, Zara (Bollywood star Elnaaz Norouzi, very good), to pose as his wife.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
Every customer-facing member of the retail staff is an optician; when Ahlem hires someone who is not yet qualified, the company funds the training.

— Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of hires

Verb

Described as an ensemble piece — Election meets American Beauty — the film’s plot is being kept under wraps.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
State what lights you up, then invite feedback, because collaboration works best when your adventurous spirit meets boundaries.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of meets

Verb

Standout recruits among the mass of volunteers were selected for additional training and assigned to high-priority operations.

— Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
Ryu and Ken Masters’ paths collide again after Chun-Li (Liang) tracks them down and recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament.

— Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026