ENGLISH
REFERENCE

take it upon oneself

idiom
Meaning

To assume personal responsibility for a task or action.


Examples
SIMPLE

He took it upon himself to clean the kitchen.

CONTEXTUAL

Since no one else volunteered to organize the event, she took it upon herself to handle the planning.

COMPLEX

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the manager took it upon himself to resolve the conflict before it escalated further.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    adorn oneself with borrowed plumes

    To claim the honor of another for oneself.

  2. 02

    apply oneself

    Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.

  3. 03

    be oneself

    To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.

  4. 04

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  5. 05

    bear oneself

    To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.

  6. 06

    box oneself into a corner

    To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.

  7. 07

    buy a dog and bark oneself

    To do something that one has hired someone else to do.

  8. 08

    carry oneself

    To move, especially emphasizing the manner in which one moves.

Last updated April 17, 2026