multitasking

multitasking — noun

1. the practice of managing several tasks or responsibilities at once, usually by s

1.名詞B2
釋義

the practice of managing several tasks or responsibilities at once, usually by switching attention rapidly from one activity to another instead of performing them all simultaneously.

例句

Imran's multitasking kept three project deadlines from colliding with each other.

multitasking as subject with possessive noun

Good multitasking requires the ability to quickly refocus after an interruption.

同義詞
  • task-switching

    more precise in cognitive science; implies shifting attention rather than parallel processing

  • juggling

    informal; suggests managing competing demands with visible effort

  • time-sharing

    historically used for computing; less common for human ability

反義詞
  • monotasking

    focusing on a single activity without interruption

文法句型

multitasking + verb (singular)

possessive + multitasking

用法筆記

Frequently uncountable; used with adjectives such as effective, constant, or heavy. Cognitive scientists often prefer the term task-switching because the human brain cannot truly process two conscious tasks in parallel.

常見錯誤

❌Multitasking is when you do many things at once.
✅Multitasking is the ability to manage several tasks at once.
💡'Multitasking' is a noun; do not define it with 'is when'.
❌I am good at multitasking works.
✅I am good at multitasking.
💡'Multitasking' already includes the idea of handling tasks; adding 'works' is redundant.

2. the capability of a computer system to run two or more programs or processes con

2.名詞B2
釋義

the capability of a computer system to run two or more programs or processes concurrently by distributing processor time and memory among them.

例句

Modern smartphones handle multitasking so smoothly that users rarely notice the switch between apps.

handle + multitasking

The old desktop struggled with multitasking whenever more than three programs were open.

同義詞
  • parallel processing

    more technical; implies true simultaneous execution on multiple cores

  • time-sharing

    historical term from early operating systems that divided processor cycles among users

  • concurrent processing

    formal computing term for managing multiple processes in overlapping time periods

反義詞

文法句型

multitasking + noun (modifier)

for + multitasking

用法筆記

Commonly appears as a compound modifier before nouns: multitasking capability, multitasking environment, multitasking mode. Often contrasted with single-tasking or batch processing in technical discussions.

常見錯誤

❌My phone has a good multitasking.
✅My phone has good multitasking performance.
💡'Multitasking' alone sounds unnatural; pair it with a noun like 'performance', 'capability', or 'support'.
❌This computer can multitask several programs.
✅This computer can handle multitasking with several programs.
💡'Multitask' as a verb is typically intransitive and does not take a direct object.