task 1 of 2

task

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verb

as in to entrust
to give a task, duty, or responsibility to I have been tasked by the host with bringing the pies for Thanksgiving this year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun task contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of task are assignment, chore, duty, job, and stint. While all these words mean "a piece of work to be done," task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

When can assignment be used instead of task?

The words assignment and task can be used in similar contexts, but assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

When might chore be a better fit than task?

While in some cases nearly identical to task, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

When would duty be a good substitute for task?

The meanings of duty and task largely overlap; however, duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

Where would job be a reasonable alternative to task?

The synonyms job and task are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

In what contexts can stint take the place of task?

While the synonyms stint and task are close in meaning, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

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 task
Noun
With vast experience coaching the likes of elite wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and Calvin Johnson, one of Prince’s tasks in taking the Dolphins’ job this offseason is to get the team’s wide receivers room, with the personality of often-troublesome Tyreek Hill, in order. Gqlshare, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2025 The commission approved an option agreement, which essentially outlines the next steps to allow both the developer and commission to complete certain due diligent tasks before selling the property. Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Verb
In the coming months, Wallace and the other 20 school board members will be tasked with hiring a new CEO, following Martinez’s firing in December. Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025 Case managers, tasked with overseeing individualized education programs (IEPs), spend the majority of their time on paperwork rather than supporting students. Scott White, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • Another was fired just a month into her job after relocating more than 1,700 miles to take it.
    Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Mop Head For socks that are extra long and stretchy, pulling them over the head of a sweep broom, like a Swiffer, is an easy way to get the job done.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The crucial difference from last season is his belief in his own abilities to alter events to his own purposes.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Kennedy also claimed the reason the children were hospitalized was for quarantine purposes.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • There is only one guardrail: restoring the Constitution’s separation of powers which entrusts the war power exclusively in Congress with no incentive to exercise it except in self-defense.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
  • The purpose is to determine if a person can be entrusted with sensitive information.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Jim Sawyer, mayor of the 3,200-population city about 45 miles north of Birmingham, temporarily handed law enforcement duties over to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, placing all department employees on leave as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
  • In Zero Day, De Niro plays former president George Mullen who is called back to duty after a massive cyber attack on the country.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Ethical governance, on the other hand, plays a key role for any business, fostering transparency to further promote inclusivity and ensure trade is conducted ethically and equitably.
    Jason Phillips, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Director Stephan Elliott announced last year that a sequel film is forthcoming, with Pearce and fellow stars Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp set to reprise their roles.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • All five were charged with second-degree murder and were denied bail after making an initial court appearance for an arraignment hearing, James Ritts, the district attorney of Ontario County, New York, said in a Friday media briefing.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
  • In California the situation is worse, with some grocery stores charging $9 or more for a dozen eggs and limiting the number of eggs customers can purchase.
    Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Any other pitcher could just be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment.
    Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
  • As mentioned above, Iowa’s first-half efficiency from 3-point range was nonexistent in the second half, and Maryland appeared more active staying on its assignments and using its hands to make four steals.
    Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • An area’s function was the biggest determiner of the germ and chemical cocktail lingering on surfaces.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The result could be extensive changes in how government functions.
    DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, arkansasonline.com, 27 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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