aboard

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

ə-ˈbȯrd 

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

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

Adverb or adjective

Officials have confirmed there were four military strikes against the boat -- the first strike killing nine of the 11 people aboard. —Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2025

Some had as many as 10 or more people aboard, and smugglers usually employ small crews to allow more space for drugs. —Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 7 Dec. 2025

Preposition

The instrument, about the size of a microwave oven, flies aboard a high-altitude NASA ER-2 research aircraft. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Dec. 2025

Later he was deported to Australia aboard the Dunera alongside hundreds of other refugees—including a grandson of Sigmund Freud, who had been similarly classified. —Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025

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

Rhymes for aboard

• abhorred
• accord
• adored
• afford
• award
• baseboard
• billboard
• blackboard
• boxboard
• breadboard
• broadsword
• buckboard

Kids Definition

aboard

1 of 2 adverb

ə-ˈbōrd 

-ˈbȯrd

: 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