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undertaken

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈəndɝˌteɪkən// UK //ˌʌndətˈeɪkən// un·der·tak·en

v. to start a job, task, or responsibility that might be difficult or take a long time. It means you agree to do the work and begin the process.

v. the past participle of 'undertake', meaning to commit oneself to and begin a task, project, or responsibility. Often implies a formal or significant commitment to a complex process.


SIMPLE

The team has undertaken a massive new project this month.

CONTEXTUAL

The university has undertaken a complete review of its safety policies to better protect students on campus.

COMPLEX

Having undertaken the arduous task of cataloging the entire archive, the historian discovered several letters that fundamentally altered the established narrative of the war.

Synonyms
Usage

The past participle of the irregular verb 'undertake' (undertake, undertook, undertaken). It is transitive and requires a direct object.

Pitfall

The work was undertook by experts.The work was undertaken by experts.Learners often confuse the simple past 'undertook' with the past participle 'undertaken' in passive constructions.

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