task

/tɑːsk/

//tɑːsk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"task" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“task” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,271 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,271
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A piece of work done as part of one’s duties.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

task vs TS
0% similar
task vs TK
0% similar
task vs tax
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for task
PropertyValue
Headwordtask
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/tɑːsk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#2,271
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “task” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). task lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for task is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /tɑːsk/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,271 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for task, with forms such as "atsk", "taks", and "taskk". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "TS", "TK", "tax", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English taske (“task, tax”), from Old Northern French tasque, (compare Old French variant tasche), from Medieval Latin tasca, alteration of taxa, from Latin taxō (“to censure; to charge”). Doublet of tax. The correct English form is task, spelled T-A-S-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A piece of work done as part of one’s duties.
  2. 2
    Any piece of work done.
  3. 3
    A single action undertaken by a given agent.
  4. 4
    A difficult or tedious undertaking.
  5. 5
    An objective.
  6. 6
    A process or execution of a program.
  7. 7
    A tax or charge.

Etymology

From Middle English taske (“task, tax”), from Old Northern French tasque, (compare Old French variant tasche), from Medieval Latin tasca, alteration of taxa, from Latin taxō (“to censure; to charge”). Doublet of tax.

Synonyms

chorejobundertakingobjectivegoalprocess

This word in other languages

tarea(Español)tâche(Français)Aufgabe(Deutsch)tarefa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atsk,taks,taskk,tassk,tsak,ttask

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of task - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

atsk2taks2taskk1tassk1tsak2ttask1
Edit distance from "task"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "task"?
"task" is spelled T-A-S-K. The IPA pronunciation is /tɑːsk/.
What does "task" mean?
As a noun, "task" means: A piece of work done as part of one’s duties.
What words are commonly confused with "task"?
"task" is commonly confused with "TS", "TK", "tax". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "task"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "task" is /tɑːsk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "task"?
From Middle English taske (“task, tax”), from Old Northern French tasque, (compare Old French variant tasche), from Medieval Latin tasca, alteration of taxa, from Latin taxō (“to censure; to charge”). Doublet of tax. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “task”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-S-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /tɑːsk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “TS” - see the side-by-side comparison. task vs TS
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list