embrace

1 to put one's arms around and press tightly upon being finally reunited, the overjoyed father embraced his son Synonyms bear-hug, clasp, crush, enclasp, enfold, grasp, hug, strain Related Words clamp, cling, cradle, grab, grip, hold; bosom, embosom, encircle, entwine, envelop, enwind; fold, lock, twine, wrap; cuddle, fondle, nestle, nuzzle, pat, pet, snuggle, stroke

2 to surround or cover closely the stone walls that embrace the monastery serve to symbolize its function as a retreat from an unquiet world Synonyms bosom, bower, circumfuse, cocoon, embosom, embower, enfold, enclose (also inclose), encompass, enshroud, enswathe, envelop, enwrap, invest, involve, lap, mantle, muffle, shroud, swathe, veil, wrapRelated Words curtain, drape; embed (also imbed), encase; swaddle; blanket, overlay, overspread; camouflage, cloak, disguise, mask; circle, encircle, enlace, enwindNear Antonyms bare, denude, expose, strip

3 to take for one's own use (something originated by another) rap music came to be embraced by people who were far removed from the inner cities where it originated Synonyms borrow, adopt, espouse, take on, take upRelated Words domesticate, naturalize; appropriate, arrogate, take over, usurp; absorb, assimilate, incorporate, quote; cherish, prize, treasure; cultivate, follow, heed, honor; use, utilize; bring up, foster, nurture, raise, rear; affect, assume, copy, imitate, pretend, put on, simulateNear Antonyms abandon, forsake, give up, relinquish, surrender; abjure, abnegate, disown; reject, renounce, repudiate, spurn; discard, jettison, junk, throw away, throw out

4 to receive or accept gladly or readily the exchange student was gratified to be so quickly embraced by people of the small rural community Synonyms drink (in), eat (up), welcome, lap (up)Related Words adopt, espouse, take up; greet, hail; enjoy, like, prefer; cherry-pick, choose, cull, decide (on), elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, select, single (out), takeNear Antonyms balk (at), decline, pass up, refuse, reject, spurn, throw over, turn down; demur (to), object (to)

5 to have as part of a whole a course in social studies can embrace everything from sociology to civics and economics Synonyms carry, comprehend, contain, include, encompass, entail, involve, number, subsume, take inRelated Words comprise, consist (of); bracket; have, hold, own, possess; admit, receive; compose, constitute, form, make; assimilate, embody, incorporate, integrateNear Antonyms ban, bar, debar, preclude, prevent, prohibit; deny, refuse, reject; eliminate, except, rule out; lose, mislay, misplaceAntonyms exclude, leave (out), miss out [British], omit

6 to form a circle around a sleepy village embraced by low hills Synonyms circle, compass, surround, encircle, enclose (also inclose), encompass, environ, gird, girdle, ring, wreatheRelated Words circumscribe, close in, cordon (off), fence (in), hem (in), wall; beset, besiege, entrench (also intrench), invest, swarm