# take sb/sth on

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/take-sb-sth-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to agree to do a job or take a new responsibility; it can also mean to fight or compete against someone.

For teachers: to accept a task, duty, or responsibility; alternatively, to engage an opponent in a contest or struggle.

## Examples

- I can't take on any more work right now.
- The small local team is ready to take on the national champions in the final match tomorrow.
- Despite her existing workload, she decided to take on the role of lead researcher to ensure the project's success.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I took on it." but "I took it on." — when the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- when used for people, it often implies a challenge or a competitive struggle.
- Teaching tip: this phrasal verb is polysemous; use a workplace context for the 'responsibility' sense and a sports context for the 'compete' sense to help students distinguish them.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.