embankment

noun

em·​bank·​ment im-ˈbaŋk-mənt How to pronounce embankment (audio)
1
: a raised structure (as of earth or gravel) used especially to hold back water or to carry a roadway
2
: the action of embanking

Examples of embankment in a Sentence

the embankment is steep, so be careful walking along the ridge
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.
Last month in Laguna Beach, while a 15-year-old girl was out on a driving lesson with her father, their car rolled through a fence and down an embankment from a closed grocery store parking lot to Coast Highway below. Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 26 June 2025 Last month, archaeologists were able to start excavating and securing the site, which is located on a low beach embankment and protected only by a thin layer of topsoil. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2025 Two teenagers were among four people who were seriously injured when a vehicle left Route 2 in Marlborough on Tuesday and struck an embankment before rolling over multiple times. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025 Ellison’s Ford Escape flipped several times and landed in an embankment in Whiteford Township where she was trapped in the vehicle, deputies said. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for embankment

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of embankment was in 1786

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Cite this Entry

“Embankment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embankment. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

embankment

noun
em·​bank·​ment im-ˈbaŋk-mənt How to pronounce embankment (audio)
: a raised bank or wall to carry a roadway, prevent floods, or hold back water

More from Merriam-Webster on embankment

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