as in assumed
to take to or upon oneself
undertook the responsibility of raising the orphaned children as their own
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Recent Examples of undertook
In 1811 it was converted into a hotel and became the go-to destination for those on the Grand Tour, the journey across continental Europe that young aristocrats undertook to perfect their education.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The tactic appears to have backfired, however, after Democrats successfully undertook the same strategy in California and later Virginia, which, along with Utah, have adopted new maps giving them 10 additional seats.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2026
The couple, who relocated from New York City to Bucks County over two decades ago, undertook a sweeping renovation to bring that vision to life.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026
Under her watch, the department routinely ignored the separation of powers, withheld evidence that may have painted the president in unflattering light and even undertook prosecutions at his behest.
—Barbara McQuade, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026
While Prince Harry undertook solo outings on April 15 (local time), including a visit with the charity Movember on the outskirts of Melbourne and meeting veterans at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the Duchess of Sussex, 44, had her own announcement.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The labor movement undertook two fights, resisting workers being displaced by machines but also resisting workers being treated as machines, subhuman fodder fuelling technological progress.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Iran nuclear deal signed After a decade of unsuccessful attempts to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Obama administration undertook a direct diplomatic approach beginning in 2013.
—Jeffrey Fields, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2026
The authorities stamped out slavery and undertook the systematic conquest of Angola.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The tactic appears to have backfired, however, after Democrats successfully undertook the same strategy in California and later Virginia, which, along with Utah, have adopted new maps giving them 10 additional seats.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2026
The couple, who relocated from New York City to Bucks County over two decades ago, undertook a sweeping renovation to bring that vision to life.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026
Under her watch, the department routinely ignored the separation of powers, withheld evidence that may have painted the president in unflattering light and even undertook prosecutions at his behest.
—Barbara McQuade, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026
While Prince Harry undertook solo outings on April 15 (local time), including a visit with the charity Movember on the outskirts of Melbourne and meeting veterans at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the Duchess of Sussex, 44, had her own announcement.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The labor movement undertook two fights, resisting workers being displaced by machines but also resisting workers being treated as machines, subhuman fodder fuelling technological progress.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Iran nuclear deal signed After a decade of unsuccessful attempts to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Obama administration undertook a direct diplomatic approach beginning in 2013.
—Jeffrey Fields, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2026
The authorities stamped out slavery and undertook the systematic conquest of Angola.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undertook
Verb
-
Then the ball was tipped, and Hyland assumed his role as an irritant of Denver’s corner shooters.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The experience gave me a front-row seat to the coast’s dramatic beauty, and also a lesson in the abundance of the Arctic, a region often assumed to be barren.—
Karen Gardiner,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The lieutenant who handled his Skelly conference wrote that Webster accepted full responsibility for his actions and apologized.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier this month, the city of Aurora accepted a grant from the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on behalf of Mutual Ground to make needed renovations.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rivers of Babylon, written in 1991 by the Slovak author Peter Pišťanek, tells the story of a young, simple-minded, and broad-shouldered ex-soldier called Rácz who leaves his impoverished village in the Slovakian countryside to work as the stoker of a hotel in Bratislava.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But everyone else shouldered the load.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undertook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undertook. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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