undertake
verb (used with object)
to take upon oneself, as a task, performance, etc.; attempt.
were undertaking
-
past progressiveof undertake.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
They were undertaking an exercise called Combat Spirit, which formed the final part of four courses to qualify for Armoured Infantry.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
When the war broke out, Unesco and Sudanese museum authorities were undertaking multimillion-dollar repairs at more than a dozen museums and cultural centers across the country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
To get people to stop and listen, they’d offer free bars of soap — a metaphor for the scrubbing that they were undertaking.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 31, 2024
Major highways near several inland towns have been inundated, hampering rescue operations as emergency services said they were undertaking what would be the biggest flood rescue operations in New South Wales' history.
From Reuters ● Nov. 15, 2022
Meanwhile, throughout the 1950s oceanographers were undertaking more and more sophisticated surveys of the ocean floors.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
