undertake a journey

Meaning

To start or commit to a long, difficult, or significant trip or voyage. It carries a formal and serious tone, often implying that the trip requires preparation, effort, or courage.

Examples

• Before you undertake a journey across the desert, ensure you have sufficient water supplies.

  Before you undertake a journey across the desert, ensure you have sufficient water supplies.

• The explorers decided to undertake a journey to the uncharted regions of the Amazon.

  The explorers decided to undertake a journey to the uncharted regions of the Amazon.

• Few people are brave enough to undertake a journey of that scale alone.

  Few people are brave enough to undertake a journey of that scale alone.

• He was advised by his physician not to undertake any long journeys until his health improved.

  He was advised by his physician not to undertake any long journeys until his health improved.

• To find her long-lost relatives, she had to undertake a journey to the remote highlands.

  To find her long-lost relatives, she had to undertake a journey to the remote highlands.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to undertake a journey to the grocery store.

  ✓ I need to go to the grocery store.

  'Undertake a journey' is highly formal and reserved for long, significant, or challenging travels, not everyday errands.

• ✗ He undertook a journey by foot.

  ✓ He undertook a journey on foot.

  While 'undertake' is formal, it still pairs with standard travel prepositions like 'on foot' rather than 'by foot'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Before you ___ across the continent, make sure your vehicle is fully serviced.

  💡 formal phrase for starting a long trip

  Show answer

  undertake a journey

• To document the rare species, the scientists had to ___ deep into the rainforest.

  💡 commit to a difficult expedition

  Show answer

  undertake a journey