undertake

/ˌʌndəˈteɪk/

//ˌʌndəˈteɪk// verb

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

"undertake" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“undertake” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,787 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#10,787
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on (a specific task etc.).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

undertake vs undertone
78% similar
undertake vs undertaken
90% similar
undertake vs undertaker
90% similar

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

Key facts for undertake
PropertyValue
Headwordundertake
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌʌndəˈteɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#10,787
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “undertake” 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). undertake 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 undertake is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,787 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for undertake, with forms such as "nudertake", "udnertake", and "unddertake". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "undertone", "undertaken", "undertaker", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- + take (after undernim). The correct English form is undertake, spelled U-N-D-E-R-T-A-K-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on (a specific task etc.).
  2. 2
    To commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.).
  3. 3
    To pass a slower moving vehicle on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.
  4. 4
    To pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say.
  5. 5
    To take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
  6. 6
    To assume, as a character; to take on.
  7. 7
    To engage with; to attack, take on in a fight.
  8. 8
    To have knowledge of; to hear.
  9. 9
    To have or take charge of.

Etymology

From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- + take (after undernim).

This word in other languages

emprender(Español)entreprendre(Français)unternehmen(Deutsch)empreender(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: nudertake,udnertake,unddertake,underatke,underrtake,undertaek,undertakke,undertkae,underttake,undetrake,undretake,unedrtake,unndertake

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of undertake - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

nudertake2udnertake2unddertake1underatke2underrtake1undertaek2undertakke1undertkae2
Edit distance from "undertake"

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 "undertake"?
"undertake" is spelled U-N-D-E-R-T-A-K-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/.
What does "undertake" mean?
As a verb, "undertake" means: To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on (a specific task etc.).
What words are commonly confused with "undertake"?
"undertake" is commonly confused with "undertone", "undertaken", "undertaker". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "undertake"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "undertake" is /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/. 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 "undertake"?
From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- + take (after undernim). 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 “undertake”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is U-N-D-E-R-T-A-K-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “undertone” - see the side-by-side comparison. undertake vs undertone
  • 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