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
Each scenario presents political obstacles, leaving Eisenkot facing the difficult task of assembling a coalition among parties with sharply different views on religion, national identity and security policy. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026 In fact, grownups had more novel and effective ideas while completing creative tasks. — Dharma Niles, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
Verb
Seaver, who heads the private security firm Squadron Augmented Protection Services, had been tasked with announcing Parton's death in August. — News Editor, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026 House leaders tasked women’s groups with figuring out how to fix the issue. — Anna Liss-Roy, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • In April, a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas cited AI as a top-driver of layoffs, with companies attributing the technology for roughly 26% of job cuts.
    — S. Sorrina Beecher, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Jay comes to his new job with a lifetime of experience in promoting education in its many forms.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Dodgers looking for Miguel Rojas replacement Rojas already has begun the transition into his player development role with the Dodgers, working with prospects in the Arizona Fall League.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The openness to do different things, play in different roles, and at the same time keep the environment positive.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The cost of a banking crisis For Paraguay, the immediate challenge is restoring access to savings and payments for customers who entrusted their money to Ueno.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The alleged conduct of a senior solider, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 11 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Selph says that nurses are often the ones who have to take on the duties of examining a patient and assessing them in person because a teleICU doctor can’t.
    — Alana Semuels, Time, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Giving up some play-calling duties has freed Frost to be more involved on the sidelines with other parts of the game.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • North Korea’s Missile Administration said its cluster warheads fall into four categories, depending on their intended purpose.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The flashback structure doesn’t serve much of a purpose except to delay the audience’s complete endorsement of a character who, though appropriately cantankerous, is unambiguously a hero and nice guy.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The controversy highlights a growing concern in academia about whether some researchers could rely too heavily on AI to churn out a wave of papers that overwhelms journals charged with vetting the work.
    — TODD WALLACK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Chrinos was charged with carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms and three counts of unregistered ammunition, DHS said.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Kansas defensive end Leroy Harris III’s assignment was to rush the passer on the most pivotal play of the Jayhawks’ 33-32 loss to UCF on Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Model procedures should provide timely notice, straightforward requests, and alternative assignments without academic penalties.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Chiplets and advanced packaging Chiplet designs divide a system’s functions among smaller semiconductor dies connected within a single package.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Lee, meanwhile, functions as exasperated colleague, grieving friend, and increasingly, minder, as his mentor’s memory begins to slip, sometimes returning loudly in moments of unguarded truth—or perhaps deathbed confessions.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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