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

—usually used with reference to vehicles

go aboard ship

aboard a plane

Examples of aboard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb or adjective

An aircrew was able to safely arrange the teen's rescue by deploying a raft and equipment down to him from above, and coordinating with a good Samaritan boat that took the survivor aboard before leaving the scene to refuel. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

Wax figures of Luke, Leia, Darth Vader and C-3PO stand around as if waiting to go through TSA before climbing aboard. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Preposition

All of this to say, there’s never been a better time to hop aboard a luxury cruise line. — Janice Wald Henderson, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026

Mario Lamar, 80, was piloting the aircraft with his wife, Lili Lamar, 79, granddaughter, Sofia Sosa, 28, and grandson Christian Sosa, 22, aboard when the plane went down. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

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