embark

verb

em·​bark im-ˈbärk How to pronounce embark (audio)
embarked; embarking; embarks
Synonyms 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
embarkation
ˌem-ˌbär-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce embark (audio)
-bər-
noun
embarkment
im-ˈbärk-mənt How to pronounce embark (audio)
noun

Synonyms of embark

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Researchers from the Archaeological Legacy Institute and Purdue University embarked this month on the Taraia Object expedition in Nikumaroro, an uninhabited coral atoll in the Phoenix Islands belonging to the Republic of Kiribati. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026 Researchers who embarked on a grueling journey to find Amelia Earhart's missing plane have suffered a devastating setback. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 In the road movie, which is Thailand’s international Oscar feature film submission, a prophecy prompts an aging grandmother to embark on a nine-temple pilgrimage with her children and grandchildren. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026 Oddly, this Dolphins team has more talent than the 2019 squad, which is the most recent, and comparable rebuild South Florida’s NFL franchise embarked on. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for embark

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of embark was in 1533

Phrases Containing embark

Rhymes for embark

See All Rhymes for embark

Browse Nearby Words

embargo
embark
embarkation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Embark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embark. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

embark

verb
em·​bark im-ˈbärk How to pronounce embark (audio)
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 How to pronounce embark (audio)
noun
embarkment
im-ˈbärk-mənt How to pronounce embark (audio)
noun
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