1 B1 neutral
To agree to be responsible for a task or project.
"She agreed to take on the role of project manager despite her already heavy workload."
separable
take on
B1 neutral separable transitive
To accept a responsibility, hire an employee, challenge an opponent, or acquire a characteristic.
In plain English
To agree to do something difficult, or to start to look or feel a certain way.
What does "take on" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To hire or employ someone.
"The factory has taken on fifty new workers to meet the holiday demand."
separable
3 B1 neutral
To compete against or challenge a person, team, or organization.
"The small legal firm decided to take on one of the largest corporations in the country."
inseparable
4 B2 idiomatic neutral
To begin to have a new quality, appearance, or meaning.
"After the diagnosis, ordinary moments took on a new and precious significance."
inseparable
Usage tip
Widely used in business ('take on staff'), sport ('take on the champions'), and descriptive contexts ('the sky took on an orange glow'). The sense of hiring is more common in British English than American English.
Words that pair with "take on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
responsibility staff challenge opponent meaning appearance
How to conjugate "take on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
take on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
takes on
he/she/it
Past simple
took on
yesterday
Past participle
taken on
have + pp
-ing form
taking on
continuous
Hear "take on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "take on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "take on"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
accept acquire confront employ hire tackle
Keep exploring
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