undertake
Americanverb (used with object)
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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.
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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)
verb
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(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
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archaic to make oneself responsible (for)
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(tr) to promise
Other Word Forms
- preundertake verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of undertake
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English undertaken; under-, take
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.
Fish species that undertake mammoth migrations through rivers, lakes and ponds are facing a combined threat from dams, pollution and overfishing preventing them from reaching their breeding grounds.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
The central bank said it will undertake an internal recruiting process to fill the vacancies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
"The minimum levels of checks on staff that the provider must undertake are also set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage," they said.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
"Due to ongoing infrastructure defects, we have closed a number of rooms in recent weeks to undertake both planned refurbishment as well as responding to a number of defects."
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
There might perhaps have been a time to undertake excavations that might have comprehensively settled our outstanding questions about the topography of old Alexandria.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
