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

Before the games at Intuit Dome, Unrivaled will start the season in Boston with a rematch of last season’s final, as the defending champion Mist take on Phantom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

England host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday, 12 November before travelling to Madrid to take on Spain on 15 November in this next international break.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

New construction has slowed more recently, and some companies have started to take on additional space.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

"It's just a lot to take on," he said.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

“That’s a lot to take on, Hank. I don’t even know if it’s possible.”

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

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