1
as in facing
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
2
as in hiring
to provide with a paying job
decided to take her on as store manager
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in borrowing
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
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Recent Examples of taking on
The PayPal survey found that one in three Gen Z adults is taking on more work to afford their trips.
—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
On Sunday, there’s a World Cup debutant taking on a powerhouse, two dark horses meeting in Texas, and two matchups that have plenty of intrigue despite flying under the radar a little bit.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
With the recent expense of the new house, Alysha was worried about taking on another large financial commitment.
—
Meghan O'Brien,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
McCaul also raised alarm about the timing of Pulte taking on the role, which comes just before America 250 celebrations and the 2026 World Cup games.
—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
At this point, is there anything Congress can do to stop him from taking on this role?
—
CBS News,
7 June 2026
And the government subsidizes mortgages, so taking on leverage is easier.
—
Allison Schrager,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Parent borrowers have even fewer options Parent borrowers will want to be especially careful taking on new loans, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
Well, Bean — who previously played expectant-mother Jenna in Sara Bareilles' hit musical Waitress before taking on a part inspired by Alicia Keys' mother in the singer's autobiographical Hell's Kitchen — explains that her reluctance came from the feeling that she was being pushed into a category.
—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
On Sunday, there’s a World Cup debutant taking on a powerhouse, two dark horses meeting in Texas, and two matchups that have plenty of intrigue despite flying under the radar a little bit.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
With the recent expense of the new house, Alysha was worried about taking on another large financial commitment.
—
Meghan O'Brien,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
McCaul also raised alarm about the timing of Pulte taking on the role, which comes just before America 250 celebrations and the 2026 World Cup games.
—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
At this point, is there anything Congress can do to stop him from taking on this role?
—
CBS News,
7 June 2026
And the government subsidizes mortgages, so taking on leverage is easier.
—
Allison Schrager,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Parent borrowers have even fewer options Parent borrowers will want to be especially careful taking on new loans, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
Well, Bean — who previously played expectant-mother Jenna in Sara Bareilles' hit musical Waitress before taking on a part inspired by Alicia Keys' mother in the singer's autobiographical Hell's Kitchen — explains that her reluctance came from the feeling that she was being pushed into a category.
—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking on
Verb
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The living room, with abundant west-facing windows brings in soft, bright light.
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Activists say the move could force families into hiding and criticized the return of individuals to a country facing significant instability.
Verb
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Employers are hiring fewer young people, citing an experience gap and rising minimum wages that make inexperienced youth less attractive.
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The firm says inflation, oil prices and cautious hiring are likely to lead to even fewer jobs this year, resulting in the lowest summer hiring total for teens since the federal government began tracking it in 1948.
Verb
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That limited graduate nursing students to borrowing $20,500 a year, while students in clinical psychology, optometry and podiatry, as well as medicine, dentistry and law, could borrow $50,000.
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That includes sweeping hundreds of millions of dollars out of special taxing districts, borrowing to pay for legal settlements and retroactive pay bumps, and diverting pandemic relief money away from programs and toward payroll instead.
Verb
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The Tartan Army finally made it to Fenway, a sort of Loch Ness Monster meeting the Green Monstah, in time to watch the Texas Rangers beat the Red Sox 6-4, apparently drinking the Hub dry.
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And also meeting John Sparrow on the bench.
Verb
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California is among the largest markets for freight trucking, employing more than 130,000 drivers.
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Though Olson had no defensive chances, the incident highlighted the extreme measures the Braves are employing to navigate their extensive injury woes and depth limitations this season.
Verb
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African and Caribbean leaders are demanding financial compensation, debt cancellation and formal apologies from countries that benefited from the transatlantic slave trade after adopting a sweeping reparations plan at a conference in Ghana.
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Underestimating Potential Cyber Threats The primary risk leaders should evaluate when adopting alternative banking platforms is fraud, particularly as AI becomes more advanced.
Verb
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Heaton recalled encountering a farmer in Uganda while volunteering there.
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Salonen found renewal not from the desperation of rethinking but from freshening, illuminating the perception of exceptional young musicians first encountering greatness.
Verb
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Some teachers received more than $4,000 in bonuses for recruiting students for trips.
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Phase 3 Study 304 data in men is expected in the second half of 2026, and Phase 3 Study 306 in women is actively recruiting.
Cite this Entry
“Taking on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20on. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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