undertake
Americanverb (used with object)
-
undertakes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
undertook,
past
-
undertaken,
past participle
-
undertaking
present participle
-
to take upon oneself, as a task, performance, etc.; attempt.
She undertook the job of answering all the mail.
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to promise, agree, or obligate oneself (followed by an infinitive).
The married couple undertook to love, honor, and cherish each other.
-
to warrant or guarantee (followed by a clause).
The sponsors undertake that their candidate meets all the requirements.
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to take in charge; assume the duty of attending to.
The lawyer undertook a new case.
verb (used without object)
-
undertakes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
undertook,
past
-
undertaken,
past participle
-
undertaking
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to contract to or commit oneself to (something) or (to do something)
to undertake a job
to undertake to deliver the goods
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(tr) to attempt to; agree to start
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(tr) to take (someone) in charge
-
archaic to make oneself responsible (for)
-
(tr) to promise
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
undertakesimple
-
undertakessimple
-
have undertakenperfect
-
has undertakenperfect
-
am undertakingprogressive
-
are undertakingprogressive
-
is undertakingprogressive
-
have been undertakingperfect progressive
-
has been undertakingperfect progressive
Past
-
undertooksimple
-
had undertakenperfect
-
was undertakingprogressive
-
were undertakingprogressive
-
had been undertakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of undertake
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English undertaken; see under-, take
Explanation
When you undertake a task or challenge, you attempt to accomplish it. If you want to undertake a verbal challenge right now, try saying “sushi chef” ten times quickly without messing up. Way back in the 13th century, undertake meant “seize” or “entrap.” Of course, the meaning has shifted significantly since then, and we hope you don’t feel entrapped when you decide to undertake a project. However, undertake does convey a level of commitment and involvement that’s somewhat stronger than the words try or attempt might suggest.
Vocabulary lists containing undertake
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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The Mayflower Compact (1620)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But last month, it agreed with local authorities to expand the facility’s footprint by 40%, or nearly 50 acres, for a new training center and to undertake other upgrades that will expand capacity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Foreign nationals cannot sit China's bar exam, although they can undertake certain legal work at Chinese law firms.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
"However, this may not be obvious through our existing systems and so researchers are also advised to undertake appropriate due diligence to identify the ultimate source of funding for collaborations with Chinese institutions."
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Modern European and American eels undertake extraordinary migrations, traveling thousands of kilometers from freshwater rivers to reproduce in the Sargasso Sea.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
“Is that so? Wonderful. I hope you will allow me to offer you some refreshment before you undertake your task.”
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
Andrew Durand undertakes the challenging central role: He plays Benjamin from birth as an elderly man all the way through to childhood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Unitree’s humanoid robots can walk, run and climb and “can imitate & reinforce the learning drive” said the company, referring to algorithms that train the robot’s artificial intelligence as it undertakes tasks.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The visit came as part of Royal Week in Scotland, where the royal family undertakes a series of engagements north of the border.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
In the memorandum of understanding, the United States undertakes to "terminate all types of sanctions against" Iran, and to "make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets" of Iran.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
There are normally twelve girls in the house, counting the old ones, a Greek cook, and a man who is known as a watchman but who undertakes all manner of delicate and dangerous tasks.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
In all, she undertook three spacewalks on August 18 and 25, and September 1.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Prosecutors charged Linton under an “implied malice” theory, meaning Linton is guilty if she knew her actions were dangerous to human life but undertook them anyway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Concern stems from recent reports that Anthropic blocked use of AI tools to develop bioweapons and that swarms of AI bots autonomously undertook massive hacking operations.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
The Chinese operation also undertook a campaign of mass reporting and bot-network amplification against journalists from the Uyghur diaspora, according to Anthropic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
I undertook the task of personally conveying his apologies.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
"Further work would have to be undertaken to make sure that all environmental concerns today are met and adequately responded to, but something has to be done about congestion."
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Harris said this has only been possible because organisations, including the Wildlife Trusts, have undertaken years of pollution clean up from legacy industry in the area.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
That revision was undertaken with analytical rigor: The process took two years, involved 35 agencies, incorporated extensive new and existing research, and elicited over 20,000 comments.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
The Times’ reporting on restraining orders was undertaken as part of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s Domestic Violence Impact Reporting Fund and engagement initiative.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
I was sixteen, had never taken an exam, and had only recently undertaken anything like a systematic education; still I registered for the test.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
"Reconstructing the lives of extinct life forms in a scientifically rigorous way, as opposed to just telling stories, is a precise and delicate undertaking," said Bhart-Anjan Bhullar, senior author of the study.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
And credit must be due to Underwood for pulling off an undertaking where any little slip would be pounced on by critics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Up-close and personal, Eleanor’s camera reveals the massive undertaking of producing a movie at this scale, honing in on small, intricate details to convey her daughter’s meticulousness.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Nomura likes the Japanese pharmaceutical wholesaler’s approach to anticipating investor expectations by undertaking reform in wholesaling business, formulating strategies to boost return on equity, and enhancing shareholder returns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
I meant it and I will honor that undertaking.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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