supertask: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / TechnicalTechnical / Formal / Specialized
Quick answer
What does “supertask” mean?
A task that is extremely large, demanding, or complex.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A task that is extremely large, demanding, or complex; an overarching mission or objective that contains or supersedes many smaller tasks.
In technical philosophy (e.g., philosophy of time and computation), a 'supertask' refers to a countably infinite sequence of operations performed in a finite interval of time. In everyday or business language, it's used metaphorically to describe an immensely complex project.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional differences in meaning or usage. The term is equally rare and technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes extreme complexity, a challenge of philosophical or logical proportions, or (in business jargon) a transformative mega-project.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general corpora. Slightly more likely to appear in academic philosophy texts, where frequency remains very low.
Grammar
How to Use “supertask” in a Sentence
to perform/execute a supertask (of + V-ing)the supertask of [complex noun phrase]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “supertask” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team attempted to supertask the entire migration process.
- You can't just supertask your way through this regulatory overhaul.
American English
- The CEO wants us to supertask the merger integration.
- We need to supertask our approach to cybersecurity.
adverb
British English
- The project was managed supertask, with hundreds of parallel streams.
- We are working supertask to meet the deadline.
American English
- They are approaching this challenge supertask.
- We must think supertask to innovate in this market.
adjective
British English
- They set a supertask goal for the quarter.
- We're dealing with a supertask-level problem here.
American English
- It was a supertask undertaking that required entire departments.
- They proposed a supertask solution to the supply chain crisis.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used (rarely) in corporate strategy to describe a transformative, multi-faceted initiative that subsumes all other projects. 'Our digital transformation is the supertask for this decade.'
Academic
Primarily in philosophy papers discussing infinity, time, and computation (e.g., Thomson's lamp, Benardete's paradox). 'The paper analyzes the metaphysical possibility of a supertask.'
Everyday
Virtually never used. If used, it would be for humorous or hyperbolic emphasis. 'Getting my toddler dressed and out the door is a daily supertask.'
Technical
The primary domain. Precise meaning in philosophy of science and logic.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “supertask”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “supertask”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “supertask”
- Using it as a synonym for any difficult task (overuse diminishes its technical/metaphorical weight).
- Confusing it with 'super-task' (hyphenated) which might imply a superior type of task rather than an infinite/complex one.
- Misspelling as 'super task' (two words).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency, specialised term. Its primary use is in technical philosophy. Its use in business or everyday language is metaphorical and rare.
A 'supertask' specifically implies a scale of complexity that is infinite, near-infinite, or of such overarching scope that it contains many other major tasks. A 'difficult task' is simply hard to do.
In highly specialised or jargon-heavy contexts (e.g., business strategy), it might be used innovatively as a verb meaning 'to treat as or transform into a supertask'. This is non-standard and very rare.
The term is associated with 20th-century philosopher James F. Thomson and his 1954 paper "Tasks and Super-Tasks," which analysed the logical paradoxes of infinite processes.
A task that is extremely large, demanding, or complex.
Supertask is usually technical / formal / specialized in register.
Supertask: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsuːpəˌtɑːsk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsupərˌtæsk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not a job; it's a supertask.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SUPERvisor managing an infinite TASK list. A 'supertask' is a task so big it needs super-management.
Conceptual Metaphor
A JOURNEY WITH INFINITE STEPS IN FINITE TIME; CONTAINER (a task containing infinite subtasks).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'supertask' most precisely and technically defined?