undertake
/ˌʌndɚˈteɪk/verb, noun
undertake is spelled U-N-D-E-R-T-A-K-E: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 5.4 times per million words in written English, the 10,680th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, undertake means “To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in undertake?
| Letters | 9: U-N-D-E-R-T-A-K-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 5.4 times per million words; the 10,680th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is undertake?
Undertake appears 5.4 times per million words in written English, the 10,680th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce undertake?
- UK /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/
- US /ˌʌndɚˈteɪk/
- Australia /ˌɐndəˈtæɪk/
Undertake has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-undertake.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with undertake?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as undertake from its last stressed vowel (/eɪk/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of undertake
- undertakes present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- undertaking participle, present
- undertook past
- undertaken participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does undertake mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on.
They undertook the new venture, not sure where it would lead.
- 2
To commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.).
He undertook to exercise more in future.
- 3
UKinformalTo pass a slower moving vehicle on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.
- 4
archaicTo pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say.
- 5
obsoleteTo take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
- 6
obsoleteTo assume, as a character; to take on.
- 7
obsoleteTo engage with; to attack, take on in a fight.
- 8
obsoleteTo have knowledge of; to hear.
noun
- 1
UKinformalThe passing of slower traffic on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Undertake in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | entreprendre |
| German | unternehmen, ausführen , sich verpflichten |
| Portuguese | empreender , dedicar, comprometer-se |
| Spanish | emprender, acometer, incoar, entrar en faena, meterse en faena , comprometerse a |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does undertake come from?
From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- + take (after undernim).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).