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embark

verb
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em·​bark | \ im-ˈbärk How to pronounce embark (audio) \
embarked; embarking; embarks

Definition of embark

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
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Other Words from embark

embarkation \ ˌem-​ˌbär-​ˈkā-​shən How to pronounce embarkation (audio) , -​bər-​ \ noun
embarkment \ im-​ˈbärk-​mənt How to pronounce embarkment (audio) \ noun

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 But when Pilu hesitates about embarking on the long journey, Willow’s emotions once again burst out and — in a twist provoked by a sudden storm — take life. — Lakshmi Gandhi, NBC News, "13 best Asian American children's and young adult books 2019," 10 Nov. 2019 India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, seems in no hurry to embark. — The Economist, "India pulls out of a big proposed regional trade deal," 4 Nov. 2019 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has urged Manchester United to implement the use of a Spanish consultancy service to help to club recruit players in January without embarking on a spending spree that could be deemed as panic buying. — SI.com, "Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Urges Man Utd to Implement Spanish Technology to Avoid January Panic Buying," 13 Oct. 2019 Portland Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese has reached the playoffs every year since embarking on his head coaching career with the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League in 2013. — Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive, "Portland Timbers aim to clinch playoff berth on final day of regular season," 3 Oct. 2019 Reuters/Jim Young A decade ago Sean Reardon, a professor at Stanford, embarked on a slightly insane project to compile and standardize test scores from every public school in the US. — Jenny Anderson, Quartz, "What are the best schools near you? A new tool from Stanford has the most accurate answer," 26 Sep. 2019 After touring the record, the group slowed down their activity and began playing three-night residencies in cities rather than embarking on more traditional tours. — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, "The Hold Steady has new album on the way and Motion City Soundtrack reunites," 28 June 2019 Yet, the committee is still undecided about embarking on the process to submit an application — because to do so would require lots of legwork. — Jane Stueckemann, Houston Chronicle, "Woodlands committee mulls applying for cultural arts district grant," 27 June 2019 Andreas Athanasiou had a first period goal for the Wings, who now embark on a three-game West Coast trip. — Dana Gauruder, Detroit Free Press, "Anthony Mantha's goal late gives Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 win over Vegas, and a win streak," 10 Nov. 2019

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

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First Known Use of embark

1533, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

History and Etymology for embark

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

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Time Traveler for embark

Time Traveler

The first known use of embark was in 1533

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Statistics for embark

Last Updated

2 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Embark.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embarked. Accessed 6 December 2019.

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More Definitions for embark

embark

verb
How to pronounce embark (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of embark

: to begin a journey especially on a ship or airplane

See the full definition for embark in the English Language Learners Dictionary

embark

verb
em·​bark | \ im-ˈbärk How to pronounce embark (audio) \
embarked; embarking

Kids Definition of embark

1 : to go on or put on board a ship or an airplane The last of the passengers embarked.
2 : to begin a project or task She embarked on a new career.

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More from Merriam-Webster on embark

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with embark

Spanish Central: Translation of embark

Nglish: Translation of embark for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of embark for Arabic Speakers

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