undertake

American  

[uhn-der-teyk] / 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

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

undertake undertakes undertook undertaken undertaking

“When people have access to medical care through insurance, they tend to undertake activities that can help longevity, like better preventive care, better management of chronic and disabling conditions,” Cohen said.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

Because of how remote Pakistan's mountains are, it is far more challenging to organise expeditions there – a feat that only the best guides undertake, Sherpas tell the BBC.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Our experiment used photons – quantum particles of light – and the against-the-odds journey they must undertake to pass straight through a cloud of rubidium atoms.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

December 28: Boeing urges airlines to undertake inspections after an international operator discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

This was not a journey Matty could undertake with a stranger.

From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry

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

Every night, he reads murder mysteries to them, a ritual he undertakes primarily for his own pleasure.

From Salon ● May 17, 2026

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

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

And then in 2017 Disney undertook its biggest ESPN-funded challenge yet, spending many billions to construct a streaming service to directly challenge Netflix—the company’s biggest strategic bet of the decade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

In the video individuals are seen from afar putting their hands into the water while workers undertook cleaning work, but it did not clearly show people damaging the pool or depositing anything into it.

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

But the following year he undertook his most ambitious challenge yet: setting a record for climbing the 14 peaks in the shortest amount of time.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Simón, who undertook a similar odyssey at the same age, never allows this delicate story to succumb to self-indulgence or an inflated sense of its own importance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

We undertook representation of all sixty of those eligible for relief in Louisiana.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

"This change continues the work already undertaken by the contest to strengthen safeguarding and protect younger artists from the pressures associated with competing at the Eurovision Song Contest," they added in the statement.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

Knox gave tours of the renovations the school has undertaken, and the event also highlighted the soon-to-be football stadium and new basketball gym.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

Dyfed-Powys Police said a "significant amount of complex work" had been undertaken, and "the family has been updated on the limitations faced in reviewing an incident that took place 50 years ago".

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

"Considering that arginine is inexpensive and readily available, we hope that therapeutic and preventative studies could be undertaken soon."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

Thus we see that buildings undertaken and completed by a single architect are usually more attractive and better planned than those which several have tried to patch up…

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

The Takaichi administration is undertaking a major update of the national defence strategy this year in the face of China's expanding military ambitions.

From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026

Meta is undertaking its own chip program, while Amazon, Google and Microsoft all house their own custom AI chip operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Still, their top-secret, multiday bash on Cumberland Island, Ga., was a sizable undertaking.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

The only comparable alternative would involve sending spacecraft directly to another star, an undertaking that would require enormous amounts of time and money.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

It was not the path that Reggie had once idealized, but it was a clear direction and one he was undertaking with typical, quiet resolve.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• begin
• commence
• guarantee
• initiate
• launch
• offer
• shoulder
• tackle
• try