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 special game was scheduled for March 16, when the Hawks took on the Orlando Magic in State Farm Arena. Irene Wright, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026 Back then, in the musical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis‘ best-seller — with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa — Doctor Who star Matt Smith took on New York yuppie and increasingly maniacal investment banker Patrick Bateman. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026 Ellis took on several pseudonyms over the years, including Three-Six, the Spirit, Big Dotti, and Terror Child. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026 Faith took on new urgency during covid. Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026 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 Into the 21st century, Davis took on less film roles and more TV work. Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took on
Verb
  • Sable has faced particular backlash over its efforts to restart a pipeline that ruptured in 2015, causing one of the biggest oil spills in state history.
    Clara Harter Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 15 Mar. 2026
  • The steep fee, enacted in 2015 due to surging demand among American expatriates seeking to avoid new tax reporting requirements, faced fierce opposition.
    Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Last year, Haiti's government created a new task force that has operated outside the oversight of Haiti's National Police and employed the use of explosive drones.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Kirk lost the certification required to serve as a state peace officer but was still employed by the Sheriff’s Department until last month.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Fresh off her Chanel Paris Fashion Week appearance on March 9, Taylor also borrowed from Schiaparelli’s runway for her accessories.
    Lara Walsh, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The word kombuis, borrowed from Dutch, originally meant a galley.
    Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Less than 10 minutes after the Texas baseball team's 9-8 loss to Ole Miss in its SEC opener at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night, Jim Schlossnagle met with the media.
    Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026
  • The company purchased the shuttered Santa Barbara drilling facilities from Exxon in 2024 and began efforts to resuscitate the drilling infrastructure, which have been met with a series of lawsuits.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • That breakthrough propelled Anderson to Iona, which hired him in March 2023 to replace Rick Pitino.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • And after Sialelli left in April 2023, Shukla hired Peter Copping as artistic director in June 2024, a seasoned designer known for his feminine creations, notably as creative director of Nina Ricci and Oscar de la Renta.
    Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz adopted a more critical stance.
    SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
  • At issue are California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, which were adopted in 2022 and established several requirements for automakers, including the 2035 zero-emission sales mandate.
    Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In Oakland, the company has encountered numerous foes, including former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who unsuccessfully tried to indict Radius on numerous felony charges in 2023 over a massive fire that left black smoke billowing in the sky.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The system encountered much cooler air in the Great Lakes area.
    Isabel Yip, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Prior to being recruited at Paramount, Shell served as chairman of RedBird Sports & Media since February 2024; RedBird Capital Partners is backing Paramount’s WBD acquisition and was an investor in Skydance Media’s deal for Paramount Global.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Weiss was recruited by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison with a mandate to move CBS News to the political center.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 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 17 Mar. 2026.

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