undertake responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

'undertake responsibility' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are discussing taking on a task or accepting the role of being responsible for a particular activity. For example: "The assistant manager agreed to undertake the responsibility of organizing the company's charity fundraiser."

✓ Grammatically correct

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

BMC Medical Education

Los Angeles Times

The New York Times

Johns Hopkins University

SEP

Expert Systems with Applications

The Guardian

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Information Sciences

Encyclopedia Britannica

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Forbes

Huffington Post

Unicef

BMC Medical Education

Global Health Action

Huffington Post

Harvard University

BBC

Robotics and Biomimetics

Journal of Applied Volcanology

Health Research Policy and Systems

WikiHow

Habitat International

Journal of Cheminformatics

TechCrunch

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Thus, she had to act fast by making an effort to control these strengths, in particular, Efficacy and Persistence while simultaneously empowering her employees to undertake responsibility for their work.

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Three of the seven practices indicated that they were trialling the concept of a GP supervisor who consults none of their own patients (or very limited number) throughout a session while they undertake responsibility for supervising all the learners in the practice.

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Transportation of California's school students falls within special categories and demands that the Department of Motor Vehicles and each prospective bus driver undertake responsibilities.

Los Angeles Times

While the village, as the landlord, undertook responsibility for the roof, heating and electrical system for a cost of $36,000 and Westhab contributed $17,000 from a government grant and $15,000 from local donations to improve the home's interior, other community organizations assumed responsibility for other aspects of the project.

The New York Times

Appointed vice provost for the arts in 2005, Tabb undertook responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Homewood Arts Task Force, which he chaired, and for coordination of efforts to extend its work beyond the Homewood campus and across the university.

Johns Hopkins University

To recognize someone is to take her to be the subject of normative statuses, that is, of commitments and entitlements, as capable of undertaking responsibilities and exercising authority" (Brandom 2007, 136, emphasis in original).

SEP

A set of predictors undertake the responsibility of estimating the load of each resource.

Expert Systems with Applications

"I undertake that responsibility with serious purpose, humility and a sense of stewardship.

The New York Times

"Helen Boaden has decided that she is not in a position to undertake this responsibility until the Pollard review has concluded.

The Guardian

We will therefore undertake the responsibility of preparing to serve as America's next president and vice president.

The New York Times

Mr. Truman said a week ago today that he was having difficulty persuading some unnamed citizen to undertake the responsibility.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "undertake responsibility" when you want to emphasize a formal or deliberate acceptance of a duty or task. It suggests a serious commitment.

Common error

Avoid using "undertake responsibility" in very casual contexts. Simpler phrases like "take responsibility" or "handle the task" might be more appropriate in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undertake responsibility" functions as a verb phrase, where "undertake" acts as a transitive verb taking "responsibility" as its direct object. This construction signifies the action of accepting or assuming a duty or obligation. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "undertake responsibility" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express a formal commitment to a duty or task. While less common than alternatives like "take responsibility", it carries a tone of seriousness and is appropriate for professional, academic, and news contexts. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Understanding the nuances of this phrase and its alternatives can enhance the precision and impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

take responsibility

More direct and commonly used alternative.

assume responsibility

Implies accepting a responsibility that already exists.

accept responsibility

A more general term for taking on a responsibility.

shoulder responsibility

Suggests bearing the weight of responsibility.

bear responsibility

Implies carrying or enduring the burden of responsibility.

embrace responsibility

Implies willingly and enthusiastically accepting responsibility.

discharge responsibility

Focuses on the fulfillment of responsibility.

execute responsibility

Highlights the active performance of a responsibility.

carry out duties

Focuses more on specific tasks than overall responsibility.

perform obligations

Similar to carrying out duties, but emphasizes required actions.

FAQs

How can I use "undertake responsibility" in a sentence?

You can use "undertake responsibility" when you want to express a formal or deliberate acceptance of a duty. For example, "The new manager will undertake the responsibility of overseeing the project."

What are some alternatives to "undertake responsibility"?

Some alternatives to "undertake responsibility" include "take responsibility", "assume responsibility", or "shoulder responsibility". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "undertake responsibility" formal or informal?

"Undertake responsibility" is generally considered more formal than phrases like "take responsibility". It's best suited for professional or official contexts.

When should I use "undertake responsibility" instead of "take responsibility"?

Use "undertake responsibility" when you want to emphasize a deliberate and serious acceptance of a duty. "Take responsibility" is more general and can be used in a wider range of situations.