aboard

adverb or adjective \ ə-ˈbȯrd \

Updated on: 13 May 2018

Definition of aboard

1 : alongside

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

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See aboard defined for kids

Recent Examples of aboard from the Web

Valeant’s market capitalization was $6.3 billion Monday, well below the peak three years ago of $90 billion but about $2.2 billion more than the company’s value before Mr. Papa came aboard.

— jonathan d. rockoff, WSJ, "Valeant Pharmaceuticals to Change Its Name to Bausch Health," 8 May 2018
Flight 370 disappeared March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard.

— trevor marshallsea, BostonGlobe.com, "No sign of MH370 found in new scan of Indian Ocean floor," 2 May 2018
Flight 370 disappeared March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing with 239 people aboard.

— Bloomberg.com, "No Sign of MH370 Found in New Scan of Indian Ocean Floor," 1 May 2018
Susan originated her character in 1968, while Bill came aboard in 1970.

— jevon phillips, latimes.com, "Daytime Emmys: Krofft brothers, 'Days of Our Lives' stars set to receive lifetime achievement awards," 27 Apr. 2018
This offseason, Dan Enos came aboard to tutor the quarterbacks after receivers coach Mike Locksley, a former college defensive back, was promoted to the coordinator role when Daboll made a quick U-turn back to the NFL.

— rainer sabin, AL.com, "Why Alabama's QB development is set to kick into high gear," 25 Apr. 2018
Smallwood has flashed potential at times, but injuries plagued him in his first two seasons after being drafted in the fifth round, and he was relegated to inactive after Ajayi came aboard.

— jeff mclane, Philly.com, "Eagles once again eye running backs in NFL draft | Jeff McLane," 20 Apr. 2018
The pilots of the twin-engine Boeing 737 bound from New York to Dallas with 149 people aboard made abrupt turn toward Philadelphia and began a rapid descent after the engine blew.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Investigation into Southwest jet tragedy focuses on wear and tear in engine," 19 Apr. 2018
The pilots of the twin-engine Boeing 737 bound from New York to Dallas with 149 people aboard took it into a rapid descent Tuesday and made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

— Cincinnati.com, "NTSB: Blown Southwest jet engine showed 'metal fatigue'," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aboard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of aboard

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

aboard

preposition

Definition of aboard

: on, onto, within

go aboard ship

aboard a plane

See aboard defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of aboard from the Web

The launch of InSight, aboard an Atlas V rocket, took place Saturday morning at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California, and is NASA’s first deep-space mission sent from the West Coast.

— justin bachman, Bloomberg.com, "Before We Go to Mars, Lander Will Check for ‘Marsquakes’," 5 May 2018
The proud mom of one, 20, shared a photo of her beach body on Instagram Tuesday while aboard a yacht with boyfriend Travis Scott.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Kylie Jenner Shows Off Her Beach Body as She Marks Stormi Turning 3 Months Old with New Baby Photo," 2 May 2018
The satellite is slated to lift off from Kennedy Space Center around 6:32 p.m. Monday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

— sarah kaplan, chicagotribune.com, "NASA's newest planet hunter to launch tonight," 16 Apr. 2018
The ambitious plan for the company involves building and maintaining a pod orbiting about 200 miles above earth, launched aboard private rockets operated by the likes of SpaceX or Blue Origin, Bunger says.

— paul brady, Condé Nast Traveler, "This New Space Hotel Could Open in 4 Years," 5 Apr. 2018
Excitement swirled about large new satellites, payloads to Mars, experimental military spacecraft, and perhaps a chance, one day, to fly aboard a SpaceX rocket yourself.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Falcon Heavy for the Outer Solar System," 2 Mar. 2018
SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who put a red Tesla Roadster aboard the Falcon Heavy rocket to be launched toward Mars.

— seattle times staff, The Seattle Times, "Speaking of Business: ‘Silly and fun things are important’," 10 Feb. 2018
Elon Musk has encountered a glitch in his plan to send a red Tesla Roadster into orbit around Mars after a successful launch aboard the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

— don reisinger, Fortune, "Elon Musk's Tesla Missed Mars Orbit After Successful Falcon Heavy Launch," 7 Feb. 2018
The red electric convertible was the unorthodox cargo aboard his company's new Falcon Heavy rocket during a test flight on Tuesday.

— marcia dunn, Houston Chronicle, "Space sports car is racing toward the asteroid belt," 7 Feb. 2018