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
Later, the Moon opposes Uranus in your 6th House of Work, Health, and Daily Habits, so requests, tasks, or body signals may interrupt your plan. Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026 When Mel arrives, all hell breaks loose, but at least the perpetually charming Fisher is up for the task of playing someone who is both completely annoying and totally winning. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
The company was also tasked with providing free broadband and Wi-Fi service for schools, libraries and community centers. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 But the team of inspectors, which was tasked with conducting a biannual audit of more than 20 national detention standards, including the grievance system, was not allowed past the center's kitchen facilities. Vanessa Romo, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • Denver is facing a $200 million budget deficit in 2026 and has laid off 169 city workers, cut city services and left hundreds of city jobs unfilled because of the budget squeeze.
    Brian Maass, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The court dismissed the case against her manager, who also lost his job.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • One scrapbook is filled with newspaper clippings documenting the hospital's role in the community over the decades.
    Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • If cave paintings tell the stories of the earliest human life, factices — the once-ubiquitous oversized perfume bottle replicas — play a similar role in revealing the histories of fragrance.
    Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The two companies entrusted perfumers Marie Salamagne and Fabrice Pellegrin to create the juice.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Santos became a constant starter, bolstering his box-crashing reputation with 10 league goals in 2024-25, and then-manager Liam Rosenior entrusted him with the captaincy on occasion.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The duties cover products including alcohol, dairy goods, cement and even the humble hockey stick.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Among them, offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand opted against taking what was effectively a demotion, with play-calling duties going to a more veteran coach (eventually, Frank Reich), and left, too.
    Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Officers have been accused of using the technology to track people in their families and personal lives rather than for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Its sturdy purpose is to guide and tow larger vessels through locks and busy lanes.
    Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Contra Costa County District Attorney on Friday charged 32-year-old Sergio Rivera-Vega with three counts of murder on Friday and is expected to add a fourth count on Monday.
    Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Under the returning Jose Mourinho, they are charged with returning Madrid to glory after two trophyless seasons.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Like the iconoclastic comedian, Block was Jewish, with a knowledge of Yiddish, which had been deemed advantageous for the assignment.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit claimed that she was demoted to weekend desk shifts and, although she was told the assignment was temporary until a replacement was hired, no person was.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Many organizations struggle with disparate systems for critical functions, leading to a lack of clear guidance for frontline managers.
    Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • What Tungsten Is Used For Tungsten's industrial role is defined by its function under demanding conditions.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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