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Take on meaning

Take on means to give someone a job. It can also mean to agree to do some work or be responsible for something.

Check yourself: 3 questionsAll 10 phrasal verbs with take

take somebody on

take on · took · taken · taking

B2Separable+2 more meanings

The café is taking on extra staff for the summer.

Take on meanings and examples

3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.

  1. 1give someone a job
  2. 2agree to do some work or be responsible for something
  3. 3play or fight against someone in a game or contest
  1. 1

    Give someone a job

    take somebody on

    B2Separable

    • The café is taking on extra staff for the summer.
    • They took me on as a trainee in 2022.
    • We can’t take on anyone new this year.
  2. 2

    Agree to do some work or be responsible for something

    take something on

    C1Separable

    • Don’t take on too much at once.
    • She took on the job of organising the trip.
    • I’d love to help, but I can’t take it on right now.
  3. 3

    Play or fight against someone in a game or contest

    take somebody or something on

    B2Separable

    • On Saturday we take on the best team in the league.
    • The young player took on the champion and won.
    • Are you really ready to take on a big company?
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Is take on separable?

Take on is separable: take on new staff, take new staff on. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: They took her on in May.

Take on can also mean begin to look or feel a certain way: The old room took on a warm, friendly feel. This use is mostly written.

Verb tenses for take on

PresentI take on · she takes on
Pasttook on
Present perfecthave taken on
-ing formtaking on

Common mistakes with take on

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: The shop liked her, so they took on her.

    Right: The shop liked her, so they took her on.

    A pronoun goes between take and on.

  • Wrong: I took over too much work this term.

    Right: I took on too much work this term.

    Take over means continue in someone’s place; take on means accept extra work.

  • Wrong: Our team takes on with City on Saturday.

    Right: Our team takes on City on Saturday.

    No with. The other team comes straight after take on.

Synonyms and opposites of take on

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

Take on quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1The hotel is very busy, so it’s ___ more staff.

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3Tonight the young boxer ___ the champion.

More phrasal verbs with take

All phrasal verbs with take, by level, with an exercise

10 phrasal verbs start with take. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.

Test yourself on takeTake the full test

Take on FAQ

Questions people ask about take on.

What does what’s your take on it mean?

Here take is a noun that means opinion: What’s your take on the new plan? It is not the phrasal verb take on.

Is take on formal?

It is neutral and common at work. In formal writing, employ, hire or accept may fit better.

What is the difference between take on and take up?

Take on is for work, staff or a challenge. Take up is for a hobby or a chance: I took up chess, but I can’t take on more work.

Use take on in real conversations

In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.

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