Is there any difference in meaning between take up a challenge and take on a challenge? For example:
I am taking up the challenge of learning a new language.
I am taking on the challenge of learning a new language.
If there is not difference whatsoever, which one do you hear the most?
Best Answer
One typical online dictionary (Dictionary.com) includes as definitions for 'take on', to accept as a challenge) and for 'take up', to accept, as an offer or challenge , so there's not a lot of difference there.
The first possible difference, as Hearth said in a comment, is that 'take on' implies that the challenge was given to you by someone, while 'take up' implies that you have accepted it (or 'taken it on' (
I would add a second possible difference, possibly related to Hearth's suggestion, and that 'take on' sounds (to me, at least) more urgent than 'take up'.
Intriguingly, Google Ngram Viewer shows that 'take/taking/taken on a challenge' are more common than 'take/taking/taken up a challenge', but 'takes/took up a challenge' are more common than 'takes/took on a challenge'. At the same time, 'take/takes/taking/took/taken up the challenge' are all more common than 'take/takes/taking/took/taken on the challenge'. So actual usage is mixed.