taking on

present participle of take on
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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 taking on 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 Pratt, who did not respond to a request for comment, lost his Pacific Palisades home in the fires and has won over many frustrated city residents with his anti-establishment message and cheeky AI videos — including one casting him as Batman, taking on a corrupt Democratic bourgeoisie. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026 After taking on the Yankees to close out a nine-game homestand, the Royals will open a three-game road series against the Rangers in Texas on Friday. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking on
Verb
  • The hotel's Ajax Tavern, directly facing the mountain, has indoor and outdoor seating and is a great spot for a drink or hot bowl of soup (or, why not, a Wagyu cheeseburger with truffle fries) while watching people make their final runs down at the end of the day.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
  • Vance himself has been a frequent topic of conversation on the show, often facing critiques from Goldberg and Behar.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • When Tracy was elevated from Triple-A to the big leagues Breslow didn’t rule out hiring a permanent manager midseason.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • The airline has been hiring crew members from the defunct Spirit Airlines and expanding its pilot base at FLL.
    Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Raising benchmark rates influences what lenders charge throughout the economy, increasing the cost of borrowing money to buy things and thus dampening demand for goods.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
  • The Missouri Constitution prohibits the state from borrowing money to make up for deficit spending.
    Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Others say the appeal comes from meeting people outside their usual circles.
    Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • Per data from the 2024-25 school year, only slightly more than 30% of high school juniors across the state were meeting or exceeding the standard for math.
    Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • The show also includes looks that are really about preserving the performer’s face and employing subtle transformations via stubble or smaller prosthetic pieces.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
  • But luckily, Robert and Michelle King's The Good Wife spinoff is used to employing stage actors like Wendell Pierce, Carra Patterson, Christian Borle, Lindsay Mendez and Micaela Diamond.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Over the last few years, an increasing number of higher education institutions across the country have begun adopting some form of the three-year degree, including several in Connecticut’s neighboring states.
    Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026
  • Consumers are also adopting the tech to outsource administrative tasks.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Others are encountering problems as well.
    Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • John Early, as anyone encountering his work soon apprehends, chooses the latter.
    Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Some players such as wide receiver Davante Adams have tagged Donald on Instagram stories, making what appear to be recruiting pitches.
    Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 9 June 2026
  • In addition, the new system routes incoming calls to the closest of the county’s three call centers, switching automatically to another county center if any one should become flooded with calls, and even recruiting nearby counties in the rare event all three county centers are overwhelmed.
    Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 9 June 2026

Cite this Entry

“Taking on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20on. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

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