undertake
verb
un·der·take
ˌən-dər-ˈtāk 
undertook
ˌən-dər-ˈtu̇k
; undertaken
ˌən-dər-ˈtā-kən
; undertaking
; undertaken
ˌən-dər-ˈtā-kən
; undertaking
1
: to take upon oneself : set about : attempt
undertake a task
undertake to learn to swim
2
: to put oneself under obligation to perform
also
: to accept as a charge or responsibility
the lawyer who undertook the case
—often followed by to + a verb He undertook to raise his sister's children.
archaic
: to give surety or assume responsibility
Examples of undertake in a Sentence
He's undertaking a thorough search.
The researchers undertook a series of studies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hernandez, 29, a contractor based in Franklin, about 20 miles south of Nashville, undertook the $380 project with furniture from HomeGoods after seeing his pet spend most of her life tucked away in a little corner.
—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
5 July 2026
Thu’s team hand-cut roughly 65 kilos of noodles, one of many marathon prep sessions undertaken in pursuit of authenticity.
—
Karen Yuan,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
Once this cycle of testing is extensively undertaken, the AI maker refines the AI and can feel more comfortable that the AI is ready for release.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The number of times Spain has previously undertaken mass legalization measures for immigrants living and working illegally in the country.
—
Suman Naishadham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for undertake
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Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
5 July 2026
Thu’s team hand-cut roughly 65 kilos of noodles, one of many marathon prep sessions undertaken in pursuit of authenticity.
—
Karen Yuan,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
Once this cycle of testing is extensively undertaken, the AI maker refines the AI and can feel more comfortable that the AI is ready for release.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The number of times Spain has previously undertaken mass legalization measures for immigrants living and working illegally in the country.
—
Suman Naishadham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for undertake
Cite this Entry
“Undertake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undertake. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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undertake
verb
un·der·take
ˌən-dər-ˈtāk
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