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

• begin
• commence
• enter (into or upon)
• fall (to)
• get off
• kick off
• launch
• lead off
• open
• start
• strike (into)

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

This year, the singer is also embarking on a Christmas Time tour in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her album. —Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Through thoughtful implementation and continuous learning, Ranjan’s team at AMD is setting a roadmap that not only strengthens the company internally but also offers a model for other organizations embarking on their own AI journeys. —Peter High, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

That doesn’t mean Beijing will embark on large-scale support. —Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024

Context: The 1950s were a time of a post-war economic boom where suburbs exploded amid a baby boom as the nation embarked on building a massive highway system. —Russell Contreras, Axios, 2 Nov. 2024

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

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