- (transitive) to contract to or commit oneself to (something) or (to do something): to undertake a job, to undertake to deliver the goods
- (transitive) to attempt to; agree to start
- (transitive) to take (someone) in charge
- (intransitive) followed by for: archaic to make oneself responsible (for)
- (transitive) to promise
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
un•der•take /ˌʌndɚˈteɪk/USA pronunciation
v., -took, -tak•en, -tak•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to take upon oneself, as a task or performance;
attempt:[~ + object]He undertook the job of answering the mail. - to promise or state as a promise (to do something):[~ + to + verb]He undertook to finish the job ahead of schedule.
- to take in charge:[~ + object]The lawyer undertook a new case.
un•der•take
(un′dər tāk′),USA pronunciation v., -took, -tak•en, -tak•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
v.t.
- to take upon oneself, as a task, performance, etc.;
attempt:She undertook the job of answering all the mail. - to promise, agree, or obligate oneself (fol. by an infinitive):The married couple undertook to love, honor, and cherish each other.
- to warrant or guarantee (fol. by a clause):The sponsors undertake that their candidate meets all the requirements.
- to take in charge;
assume the duty of attending to:The lawyer undertook a new case.
v.i.
- [Archaic.]to engage oneself by promise;
give a guarantee, or become surety.
- 1150–1200; Middle English undertaken; see under-, take
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
undertake /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/ vb ( -takes, -taking, -took, -taken)
'undertake' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
assume
- commission
- entrepreneur
- guarantee
- impresa
- Jesuit
- open prison
- plough
- proceed
- promise
- read
- ripe
- solo
- start
- start in
- step
- superintend
- syndicate
- tackle
- take on
- task force
- think-tank
- turn
- underwrite
- vow
- white hat
- accept
- assail
- attempt
- auction
- buy
- carry
- crossbreed
- emprise
- enterprise
- enterprising
- estimate
- fosterage
- go
- hand
- incept
- lacking
- nettle
- presume
- presumption
- preundertake
- primitive
- take
- together
- undertaker