undertake

verb

un·​der·​take ˌən-dər-ˈtāk How to pronounce undertake (audio)
undertook ˌən-dər-ˈtu̇k How to pronounce undertake (audio) ; undertaken ˌən-dər-ˈtā-kən How to pronounce undertake (audio) ; undertaking

transitive verb

1
: to take upon oneself : set about : attempt
undertake a task
undertake to learn to swim
2
: to put oneself under obligation to perform
also : to accept as a charge or responsibility
the lawyer who undertook the case
3
: guarantee, promise
readily undertook that the letter should be securely conveyedSir Walter Scott

intransitive verb

archaic : to give surety or assume responsibility

Examples of undertake in a Sentence

He's undertaking a thorough search. The researchers undertook a series of studies.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Not long after being hired, Wells somehow got the funds to undertake an architectural tour of England, France, and Italy. Henry Wiencek july 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025 Called Lake County Lake Lovers, the advocacy group held a special event Thursday evening to discuss the challenges facing the vast majority of the county’s lakes, as well as the restoration work the group has been undertaking. Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025 Phil Steger, who is the founder of Brother Justus Whiskey Company in Minneapolis, had been working for humanitarian organizations in Iraq and Lebanon when a Catholic monk and mentor from his alma mater, St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, asked him to undertake a perilous mission. Jeanette Hurt, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025 There is even talk that Burberry could rejoin the FTSE 100 index when the London Stock Exchange undertakes its next quarterly review in September. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for undertake

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of undertake was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Undertake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undertake. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

undertake

verb
un·​der·​take ˌən-dər-ˈtāk How to pronounce undertake (audio)
undertook -ˈtu̇k How to pronounce undertake (audio) ; undertaken -ˈtā-kən How to pronounce undertake (audio) ; undertaking
1
: to take upon oneself as a task : enter upon
undertake a journey
2
: to take on as a duty : agree, contract
undertake to deliver a package

More from Merriam-Webster on undertake

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