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Glite Dictionary
🤹 To do many things 💻 To run programs
to multitask

to multitask

15 3.7
To do two or more things at the same time
  • verb
  • /ˈmʌltiˌtæsk/
translation icon : hacer varias cosas a la vez
  • The investigators wanted to figure out how today's college students were able to multitask so much more effectively than adults.
  • people multitask
  • students multitask

No, but The thing is, I can multitask, so I can.

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Examples

  • Too many people out there think they can multitask while operating a vehicle.

    Unhinged (2020)

  • The younger people are, the more they multitask with media.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Particularly effective was the beginning teachers' ability to multitask and adjust while continuing to teach.

    Academic text (2012)

  • In this rush era, people have to be multitasking to be able to meet every social expectation.

    Blog text (8)

  • The hardest thing about high-tech life is multitasking, thinking about multiple situations at once.

    Blog text (12)

  • During the busy workday, I like to multitask by answering emails while I attend meetings.

  • She found it difficult to multitask effectively, trying to cook dinner while helping her children with their homework.

  • Many students believe they can multitask by studying while listening to music, but it may affect their focus.

Synonyms

to juggle
vsto multitask
27 3.8

To manage several tasks at the same time, like work and family

describes doing multiple tasks simultaneously without implying effort
to walk and chew gum at the same time
vsto multitask
  • Informal
1 7.2

To do two simple things at the same time

applies to doing many simultaneous tasks beyond two simple actions

Antonyms

to focus on
∞ 2.0

Give most attention and effort to one person or task

How Skilled

to juggle
27 3.8
to multitask
15 3.7

Surface Forms

multitask infinitive
multitasked past
multitasked past participle
multitasking present participle
multitasks third person singular

Morphology

multitask = task (transparent) = multi + task

The meaning is directly built from 'multi-' plus 'task', referring to doing multiple tasks at the same time.

Etymology

Multitask comes from the parts multi- meaning 'many' and task, so it means 'many tasks'. That's why to multitask is to do more than one job or activity at the same time, like answering emails while you talk on the phone.