embrace

1 to put one's arms around and press tightly upon being finally reunited, the overjoyed father embraced his son Synonyms of embrace bear-hug, clasp, crush, enclasp, enfold, grasp, hug, strain Words Related to embrace 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 of embrace bosom, bower, circumfuse, cocoon, embosom, embower, enfold, enclose (also inclose), encompass, enshroud, enswathe, envelop, enwrap, invest, involve, lap, mantle, muffle, shroud, swathe, veil, wrapWords Related to embrace curtain, drape; embed (also imbed), encase; swaddle; blanket, overlay, overspread; camouflage, cloak, disguise, mask; circle, encircle, enlace, enwindNear Antonyms of embrace 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 of embrace borrow, adopt, espouse, take on, take upWords Related to embrace 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 of embrace 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 of embrace drink (in), eat (up), welcome, lap (up)Words Related to embrace 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 of embrace 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 of embrace carry, comprehend, contain, include, encompass, entail, involve, number, subsume, take inWords Related to embrace comprise, consist (of); bracket; have, hold, own, possess; admit, receive; compose, constitute, form, make; assimilate, embody, incorporate, integrateNear Antonyms of embrace ban, bar, debar, preclude, prevent, prohibit; deny, refuse, reject; eliminate, except, rule out; lose, mislay, misplaceAntonyms of embrace exclude, leave (out), miss out [British], omit

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