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
That means stepping into real leadership: delegating, hiring, and letting go of low-value tasks that drain your time. Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 The hardest task was animating Jar Jar during the dawn of mocap and computer graphics. Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress tasked the IRS with delivering a report on, among other things, the cost of developing and running a free direct e-file tax return system. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025 But this month, I was tasked with attempting book tour style. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for task
Recent Examples of Synonyms for task
Noun
  • Sure enough, in early 2024, PJ took a job as an avionics technician at Tinker.
    Jenni Carlson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The premise alone is perfectly thrilling: Four men take a job driving explosive nitroglycerin over a mountain pass.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The name’s ironic on purpose—the app allows users to create, send, and receive anonymous voice messages in a celebrity’s tone.
    Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Sources: Human Rights Watch, World Resources Institute In Sub-Saharan Africa, how women’s education influences family size Policymakers may use population projections for a variety of purposes, from planning social welfare programs to preparing for climate change.
    Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Why should the state be held to a lesser standard than private institutions or organizations, especially when some of the state’s most vulnerable children were entrusted to the state’s care for guidance, treatment and rehabilitation?
    Diana Philip, Baltimore Sun, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Police released a photo of this caiman pictured in a makeshift tank, and entrusted the animal to the RSPCA, Britain’s largest animal welfare charity.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These new duties, announced on April 2 during a speech from the White House Rose Garden, are in addition to the 10 percent tariff the president imposed on all global imports starting on April 5.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The deputy prime minister of Vietnam, the low-cost Asian manufacturing hub hit with some of the highest duties globally, is set to talk with Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later on Wednesday.
    Joe Cash and Trevor Hunnicutt, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Coach Scott Arniel likes to refer to him as a Swiss Army knife for his ability to play any role that the coaches ask of him.
    Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Rubio said the Europeans had a central role to play in any peace pact, especially as their Russia sanctions over which Washington has no control would likely need to be lifted to secure an accord.
    Bart H. Meijer and Gabriel Stargardter, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The other person was Jamison Wagner, who was charged on April 14 for arson attacks at the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters and a Tesla dealership.
    Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Two charging stations were also damaged by the fire, both valued at approximately $550.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Fort Worth Star-Telegram Lillie Davidson is a general assignment reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a TCU student studying journalism (Go Frogs!).
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Among the ruins, the most important school assignment left is to live despite it all.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Other tools can analyze code and generate detailed comments for functions, loops and classes.
    Ken Ringdahl, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Trump was assessed for cognitive function, depression and anxiety.
    Luke Garrett, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Task.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/task. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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