aboard

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

1
2
a
: on, onto, or within a vehicle (such as a car or ship)
b
: in or into a group, association, or organization
her second promotion since coming aboard
3
baseball : on base

aboard

2 of 2

preposition

: on, onto, within
go aboard ship
aboard a plane

Examples of aboard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb or adjective
Carl Schuster, who served three tours on the Lincoln’s sister ship, the USS Nimitz, in the late 1970s and 1980s, said life aboard can be isolating, especially for enlisted crew who work deep inside the 100,000-ton carriers. Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026 The Tigers put two runners aboard in the ninth, but Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio made a jumping throw from deep in the hole to retire McGonigle and end the game. CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Preposition
From long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station to helping prepare the Artemis generation, his contributions have helped position NASA for what comes next. Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 On Monday, passengers aboard Delta flight 591 going from Las Vegas to Atlanta allegedly spoofed the onboard Wi-Fi, raising the attention of federal law enforcement. Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aboard

Word History

Etymology

Adverb or adjective

Middle English abord, probably in part borrowed from Middle French a bord, a bort "on board," in part from Middle English a- a- entry 1 + bord "board, side of a ship" — more at board entry 1

Preposition

Middle English abord, derivative of abord aboard entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aboard was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aboard. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

aboard

1 of 2 adverb
: on, onto, or within a vehicle (as a car, ship, or airplane)

aboard

2 of 2 preposition
: on or into especially as a passenger
go aboard ship

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