# undertaken

/ˈəndɝˌteɪkən/ (US) · /ˌʌndətˈeɪkən/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/undertaken
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The team has undertaken a massive new project this month.
- The university has undertaken a complete review of its safety policies to better protect students on campus.
- Having undertaken the arduous task of cataloging the entire archive, the historian discovered several letters that fundamentally altered the established narrative of the war.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The work was undertook by experts." but "The work was undertaken by experts." — Learners often confuse the simple past 'undertook' with the past participle 'undertaken' in passive constructions.

## Usage notes

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

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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.