taking on

present participle of take on
1
as in facing
to enter into contest or conflict with will take on his chief opponent in the next political debate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of taking on Before taking on her first solo anchoring role, Hylton frequently served as a fill-in anchor across the network’s morning, dayside and primetime programming. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026 As the world expands, Musashi can go around taking on requests from the townfolk for resources to upgrade his sword, armor, and gauntlet. Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) binds to RNA in astrocytes, preventing them from taking on nerve cell characteristics. Mike McRae 30, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026 But now Buc-ee's has set off a Buckeye backlash across Ohio and beyond after taking on a beaver in the city of Beavercreek. ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 According to the World Economic Forum, women perform a disproportionate share of emotional labor in professional settings, from taking on invisible tasks at work to maintaining team harmony and managing other people’s needs. Kelly Ehlers, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Following the conviction, Galliano entered rehabilitation and remained out of the fashion spotlight for a few years before taking on a new role as creative director of Maison Margiela in 2014. Morgan Evans, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 By taking on the meme generator, Saflor may hit a wall if the court finds that his arguments apply to any meme generator and a finding in his favor could risk undercutting the entire meme ecosystem, Goldman said. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026 Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively halted, and significantly lower through the Bab-al-Mandeb strait – with oil tankers unwilling to risk taking on fire from the Iranians and Houthis. David Goldman, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking on
Verb
  • Chancellor Julio Frenk announced the move Monday afternoon in an email to the UCLA community, framing the change around the financial challenges facing an athletic department trying to adapt to a rapidly changing college sports landscape.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • From a retail perspective, Bryan Gildenberg, managing director of Retail Cities, pointed to the changing competitive landscape facing Shein.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In May, the trade publication National Restaurant News reported that McDonald’s was embarking on a hiring binge this summer with a goal of 375,000 new workers nationwide.
    David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The chip company made a deal with the AI coding startup, making a $1 billion investment and also a $6 billion technology licensing agreement, while hiring more than 100 of Poolside’s employees.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Rouser said financial-aid counselors talk with students about borrowing responsibly and, when appropriate, using student-loan refunds to cover expenses beyond what the university bills them for.
    Adrienne Roberts, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Schulz compared younger Americans increasing their credit scores with a new driver borrowing Mom or Dad’s car.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Willy Kurniawan | Reuters Indonesia may have trouble meeting its economic-growth goals for the coming year, after spending 2026 on the defensive amid questions about fiscal outlays and the prospects of a downgrade from MSCI.
    Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The film’s audition introduced Hale to her future costar and now-husband Massagli, who recalled meeting her for the first time in a joint interview with Inside Edition in 2021.
    Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Through the new focus on South Miami-Dade, Beasley also wants employers to understand the benefits of employing people from the area.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The idea of employing microbes to transform waste carbon into something useful is far from novel.
    Mike McRae August 28, New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The War Horse reported on VA-medical-center policies that recommended discharging most patients from therapy after just eight sessions (far too few, according to many providers), an approach that the VA has denied adopting.
    Andrea N. Goldstein, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Summary Travelers are rapidly adopting AI for trip planning, with over half already using it and 75% planning future use, significantly outpacing the industry.
    Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After encountering Baumeister again the following year, Goodyear helped investigators obtain information that led them to identify Baumeister.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Itauma has described moving to England with his family as a child after encountering racist abuse.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The union, in the PERB filing, said the information is helpful when recruiting new members and performing outreach, potentially affecting the union’s long-term strength.
    Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The stakes of recruiting and retaining elite talent are high in the current hypercompetitive AI market.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Taking on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20on. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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