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

See Examples For:

take on

“Away from the accident of birth, how is Howard the most qualified person to take on this role?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Karel Sedlacek marked his debut at the tournament with a 6-4 win over New Zealander Ben Robb and will take on Van Veen next.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

What’s your take on how punk is reexamined and memorialized today with things like the Punk Museum in Las Vegas, various historic exhibitions, the Ramones’ 50th anniversary, etc?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Formal education must shift and take on a larger role in providing the kind of experiences previously learned on the job.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

I don’t doubt her take on Big Ed’s, but coloring the same princess picture over and over again is also boring.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller