undertake

American  

[uhn-der-tayk] / ˌʌn dərˈteɪk /

verb (used with object)

• undertakes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• undertook,
  past
• undertaken,
  past participle
• undertaking
  present participle

1. to take upon oneself, as a task, performance, etc.; attempt.

   She undertook the job of answering all the mail.

2. to promise, agree, or obligate oneself (followed by an infinitive).

   The married couple undertook to love, honor, and cherish each other.

3. to warrant or guarantee (followed by a clause).

   The sponsors undertake that their candidate meets all the requirements.

4. to take in charge; assume the duty of attending to.

   The lawyer undertook a new case.

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verb (used without object)

• undertakes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• undertook,
  past
• undertaken,
  past participle
• undertaking
  present participle

1. Archaic. to engage oneself by promise; give a guarantee, or become surety.

undertake British  

/ ˌʌndəˈteɪk /

verb

1. (tr) to contract to or commit oneself to (something) or (to do something)

   to undertake a job

   to undertake to deliver the goods

2. (tr) to attempt to; agree to start

3. (tr) to take (someone) in charge

4. archaic to make oneself responsible (for)

5. (tr) to promise

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preundertake
  verb (used with object)

Inflected Forms

Participles

• undertaking
  present
• undertaken
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• undertake
  simple
• undertakes
  simple
• have undertaken
  perfect
• has undertaken
  perfect
• am undertaking
  progressive
• are undertaking
  progressive
• is undertaking
  progressive
• have been undertaking
  perfect progressive
• has been undertaking
  perfect progressive

Past

• undertook
  simple
• had undertaken
  perfect
• was undertaking
  progressive
• were undertaking
  progressive
• had been undertaking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will undertake
  simple
• will have undertaken
  perfect
• will be undertaking
  progressive
• will have been undertaking
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of undertake

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English undertaken; see under-, take

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

undertake undertakes undertook undertaken undertaking

The doctrine says that Congress must be unequivocal if it wants to authorize the executive branch to undertake consequential policy changes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

The Cabinet Office said it would also undertake a wider review of workplace conflict and resolution across Whitehall within a year.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

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

In 2009, India and China agreed to undertake joint research into the impact of global warming on glaciers in the Himalayas and Tibet.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

But his affection for me at length overcame his dislike of learning, and he has permitted me to undertake a voyage of discovery to the land of knowledge.”

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

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

Point 11 of the MoU detailed that the "United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran".

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 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

When the next president swears an oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” he undertakes both to obey the Constitution and to remove threats to it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Whatever he undertakes, he commits himself to it fully, absolutely.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Many companies are simply reversing a hiring boom they undertook in the immediate post-pandemic era, before AI began to infiltrate corporate America.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026

"I undertook this study to find out how big of a difference this change in anatomy made for these animals," Korneisel said.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2026

Oil and gas extraction, however, weakened for a third month in row with a decrease in oil sands activity as some facilities in northern Alberta undertook maintenance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Meghan's return to Australia follows a four-day tour of the country she and Prince Harry undertook in April.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

Department of Education undertook a monumental project called the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Some responses to the wreckage can be undertaken through new leadership.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

He continued: "Its activities are often undertaken covertly with no suggestion of restraint or proportionality, and that at the point it was proscribed it had an escalating trajectory of seriousness and an expanding focus."

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

This sentence could refer to any number of actions undertaken by the department in recent months.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026

His campaign attracted many PRI dissidents who opposed the free-market economic reforms undertaken by then-President Miguel de la Madrid.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

José Arcadio Buendía received his errant son with joy and initiated him in the search for the philosopher's stone, which he had finally undertaken.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Competition and Markets Authority said the merger will be referred for an in-depth, Phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer an undertaking to address the competition concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026

"This is going to be really difficult for me personally, 100%," acknowledged Evans, who is undertaking his second challenge for the BBC charity fundraiser, following his 24-hour drumathon challenge back in 2021.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

But more than anything, he wants to understand Holmes as much as one person can possibly understand another — a patently impossible yet all-too-enticing undertaking.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

"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

It is far and away the most ambitious undertaking in the history of European music.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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Related Words

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