task

1 of 2

noun

ˈtask 

plural tasks

1

a

: a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time

b

: something hard or unpleasant that has to be done

c

: duty, function

2

: subjection to adverse criticism : reprimand

… the state government was called to task for not doing more to help the area around the casinos.

—Stephanie Powers

In the NFL, coaches often aren't brought to task for their worst decisions even after games.

—Rodger Sherman

see also take to task

task

2 of 2

verb

tasked; tasking; tasks

transitive verb

1

: to assign a task to

employees tasked with updating the files

2

: to oppress with great labor

tasks his mind with petty details

3

obsolete : to impose a tax on

Synonyms

Noun

• assignment
• chore
• duty
• job

Verb

• assign
• charge
• commission
• entrust
• intrust
• trust

Choose the Right Synonym for task

task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment 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

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

Examples of task in a Sentence

Noun

Our first task is to review the budget.

one of my tasks in the morning is to make lunches for everyone in the family

Verb

I have been tasked by the host with bringing the pies for Thanksgiving this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The city has activated its emergency operation center to handle tasks like monitoring the quality of water around the pier, Parsons said. —Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024

Lewis's mother, Gertrude, requires around-the-clock care, an all-consuming task that Lewis and her husband manage while raising their two daughters. —Lisa Ling, Analisa Novak, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2024

Having a tool belt has really kept me moving between tasks without having to stop and search for supplies. —Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024

With 100 pounds of clamping force, these will be more than capable of many day-to-day, small tasks. —Matt Jancer, WIRED, 25 Apr. 2024

The task of keeping communications going grows harder with each passing day. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

Six years ago, the Silicon Valley giant signed a small, $9 million contract to put the skills of a few of its most innovative developers to the task of building an artificial intelligence tool that would help the military detect potential targets on the battlefield using drone footage. —David E. Sanger, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024

As the price of labor goes up, more basic tasks will be taken over by robots and computers. —John Phillips, Orange County Register, 23 Apr. 2024

Videos from those who have used it show that sometimes the device can take several seconds to process a request, occasionally taking up to 10 seconds to do a simple task like sending a text message. —Kyle Barr, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024

Verb

With major local, state and federal elections just months away, Jones will be tasked with ramping up the party’s fundraising and voter-registration operations, and trying to unite a deeply fragmented Democratic organization. —Max Greenwood, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2024

This places a burden on the seller, who is tasked with paying both agents for their services. —Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024

But the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency tasked with overseeing labor relations, sided with the workers that they were illegally fired under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and issued a complaint against Starbucks. —Nik Popli, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024

In his new role, Hall is tasked with setting the vision of Manhattan Neighborhood Network and building out a development team that can market the organization, raise its profile and increase funding. —Brent Lang, Variety, 21 Apr. 2024

Ronson was tasked with dyeing the jockstrap for his stage outfit red and ironing out the sweat from his costumes. —Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024

Some distributors and retailers are not willing to carry THC products, leaving many producers tasked with self distribution. —Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2024

Amy Westling, executive director of the Assn. of Regional Center Agencies, said regional center staff are committed to the program, but are also tasked with following government rules — and that much of the bureaucracy that has bogged down the program is tied to requirements for federal funding. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024

She also was tasked with the job of prop assistant. —Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English taske, from Middle French dialect (Picardy, Flanders) tasque, from Medieval Latin tasca tax or service imposed by a feudal superior, alteration of *taxa, from taxare to tax

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing task

• brought to task
• called to task
• sub-task
• take to task
• task bar
• task force
• the task at hand

Kids Definition

task

noun

ˈtask

: a piece of assigned work

Medical Definition

task

noun

ˈtask 

: the performance that is required of the subject in a psychological experiment or test and that is usually communicated to a human subject by verbal instructions