embark

verb

em·​bark im-ˈbärk 

embarked; embarking; embarks

intransitive verb

1

: to go on board a vehicle for transportation

the troops embarked at noon

2

: to make a start

embarked on a new career

transitive verb

1

: to cause to go on board (a boat, an airplane, etc.)

2

: to engage, enlist, or invest in an enterprise

embarkation

ˌem-ˌbär-ˈkā-shən 

-bər-

noun

embarkment

im-ˈbärk-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• begin
• commence
• enter (into or upon)
• fall (to)
• get off
• kick off
• launch
• lead off
• open
• start
• strike (into)

Examples of embark in a Sentence

The troops are waiting to embark.

Millions of Europeans embarked for America in the late 19th century.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mbatha-Raw stars as Claudia, an ambitious young bi-racial lawyer who embarks on a journey to Jamaica to challenge an inheritance claim filed by an unknown local resident, Cudjoe East (Sheldon Shepherd), against Oliver Connaught (Jonny Lee-Miller), a wealthy white aristocrat. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024

Those same companies are adapting to an entertainment industry in which athletes, actors and other celebrities are embarking on various business endeavors, which span social media videos, sports, music, TV and film. —Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024

To resolve the issue, a team of researchers embarked on a detailed investigation. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

It’s been a few years since Anastasio embarked on a full solo acoustic tour. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French embarquer, from Old Occitan embarcar, from em- (from Latin in-) + barca bark

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing embark

• embark on/upon

Kids Definition

embark

verb

em·​bark im-ˈbärk 

1

: to go or put on board a ship or airplane

2

: to begin some task or project

embark on a career

embarkation

ˌem-ˌbär-ˈkā-shən 

noun

embarkment

im-ˈbärk-mənt 

noun