took on

Definition of took onnext
past tense of take on

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 took on The actress met Bingham on the set of Yellowstone in 2020 when Harrison took on the role of Laramie. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026 So Etess increasingly took on more roles at the resort. Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026 Cities took on the atmosphere of graveyards, and mourning black became the dominant color of daily life. Shahrnush Parsipur, Time, 3 Feb. 2026 After another easy basket from Dailey, Dent took on Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, stepped-back for a jumper, and benefitted from a shooter’s bounce. Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026 Into the 21st century, Davis took on less film roles and more TV work. Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026 Later, the McDiarmid family—who lamented the closure of the original hotel and dreamt of opening their own—took on the passion project with help from a stable of longtime Tofino residents. Jennie Nunn, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026 Ball was joined on the bench in street clothes by Collin Sexton, who sat out with a neck strain when the Hornets took on the Heat in East Group C action at Kasaya Center on Friday night. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025 That is certainly true for series star Robert Englund, who took on the role of Freddy Krueger. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took on
Verb
  • The secretary has faced pressure from Democrats and Republicans after Renee Good and Alex Pretti were shot dead during an immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota.
    Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Had they been convicted, the two immigrants would have faced years in federal prison.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Rerouting the current $17,670 adoption tax credit to married parents for each of their own newborns, as long as one parent is employed.
    Kate Perez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The owner of Joe Gibbs Racing — which has employed Hamlin as a driver for decades — has lost two sons in his lifetime.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Appearing at the Marc Jacobs 2026 Runway Show at Park Avenue Armory in New York City on February 9, Fox donned a slinky look that borrowed from the silhouettes and color blocking of '80s fitness fashion while adding a distinctively modern spin.
    Meg Walters, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
  • If her name sounds familiar to Landman fans, that’s because Sheridan, a friend of the Goffs, apparently borrowed it for the steel magnolia of an oil wife, played by Demi Moore.
    Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The transitional committee, made up of Palestinian administrators, has met in Egypt but has not yet entered Gaza.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The scope of its ambition is met, at every turn, by deft control over what is witnessed, and how.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The Daily News first reported investigators served a search warrant on at least one SaferWatch employee after the company hired the brother of two of former Mayor Adams’ top deputies as a consultant.
    Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The body is cleaned and prepared in the Muslim tradition, as the family takes one last look before the burial, while hired men recite the Koran.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Gripped by a worsening economic crisis, Cuba’s government recently adopted rationing measures to protect essential services and ration fuel supplies for key sectors.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Some guests got very into it—one adopted a fake British accent for the duration.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Some people taking part in recent walkouts and demonstrations have encountered police skirmish lines, arrests.
    City News Service, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Yet beyond the headline cities and endlessly recycled itineraries lies a quieter, deeper continent; one that’s best encountered through patience and a willingness to detour from the obvious itinerary.
    Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Once recruited, victims were allegedly forced to conduct romance scams, fake cryptocurrency investment schemes and other online frauds targeting victims abroad.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Heavily recruited football standout Elyjah Staples has been almost unstoppable in the last two games.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Took on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20on. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

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