take on

British  

verb

1. to employ or hire

   to take on new workmen

2. to assume or acquire

   his voice took on a plaintive note

3. to agree to do; undertake

   I'll take on that job for you

4. to compete against, oppose, or fight

   I will take him on at tennis

   I'll take him on any time

5. informal (intr) to exhibit great emotion, esp grief

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take on Idioms  

1. Undertake or begin to deal with, as in I took on new responsibilities , or She took on too much when she accepted both assignments . [Early 1300s]

2. Hire, engage, as in We take on extra workers during the busy season . [Early 1600s]

3. Oppose in competition, as in This young wrestler was willing to take on all comers . [Late 1800s]

4. Display strong emotion, as in Don't take on so . [ Colloquial ; early 1400s]

5. Acquire as, or as if, one's own, as in He took on the look of a prosperous banker . [Late 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Coders may be worried about very effective new AI programming assistants, but Raman said there’s still a need for software engineers — as long as they’re prepared to take on different types of functions.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

It was not clear whether China would have any direct presence during the talks or would be willing to take on a formal role.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

The tariffs also often triggered other kinds of costs, forcing businesses to take on debt to pay for the duties and leading to harder-to-quantify hits like lost sales.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

So in that sense, what is “moral” in this situation can take on a variety of forms, depending on which definition of what is “right” is prioritized in your own mind.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

I’d seen many of them take on more responsibility and blossom both professionally and personally, even under the glare of the harshest lights.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama