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 of embark

• begin
• start
• commence
• fall (to)
• enter (into or upon)
• get going
• open
• found

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

Former Braves outfielder Jason Heyward is embarking on his post-playing career, joining the Dodgers’ front office as a special assistant. —Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 14 May 2026

Granger Smith is embarking on a new chapter. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026

Jonze embarks on a journey to Miami, but now seeks revenge for the death of her loved ones. —Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 14 May 2026

Trump embarked on Air Force One for the big meeting with a coterie of aides, family members and business world titans, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk. —Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

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

Rhymes for embark

• ballpark
• benchmark
• birthmark
• daymark
• earmark
• hallmark
• landmark
• monarch
• postmark
• remark
• skylark
• tetrarch

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