embed

verb

em·​bed im-ˈbed 

variants or less commonly imbed

embedded also imbedded; embedding also imbedding; embeds also imbeds

transitive verb

1

a

: to enclose closely in or as if in a matrix

fossils embedded in stone

b

: to make something an integral part of

the prejudices embedded in our language

c

: to prepare (a microscopy specimen) for sectioning by infiltrating with and enclosing in a supporting substance

d

: to insert (a media file, such as a graphic, video, or audio clip) into a computer document (as on a website or in an email)

Marketers embed advertisements in subscription mailing-list messages to reach target audiences.

—Matthew Mills

The company … lets users embed video and audio attachments in E-mail messages.

—Matt Richtel

2

a

: to attach (a journalist) to a military unit for the purpose of covering a conflict

Ever since the American-led invasion of Iraq last year, when hundreds of journalists were embedded with military units, people in media circles have been debating whether journalists lose their professional detachment under such circumstances and begin to identify too closely with the troops they are covering.

—Robert D. Kaplan

b

: to attach (someone) to a group (such as a military unit or government agency) for the purpose of advising, training, or treating its members

Implementation of the plan to embed behavior specialists at the brigade level will result in 50 positions being staffed between now and 2013.

—Philip Grey

Dr. Dawdy … is one of the more unusual relief workers among the thousands who have come to the devastated expanses of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She is officially embedded with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a liaison to the state's historic preservation office.

—John Schwartz

3

: to surround closely

a sweet pulp embeds the plum seed

intransitive verb

: to become embedded

embedment

im-ˈbed-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• bed
• enroot
• entrench
• intrench
• fix
• impact
• implant
• ingrain
• engrain
• lodge
• root

Examples of embed in a Sentence

embed a post in concrete

the nails were solidly embedded in those old plaster walls

Recent Examples on the Web

Casinos and gambling, which are no longer just in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but everywhere, embedded in daily life. —Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024

Traditional Saudi elements such as mosaics were reinvented as ceiling coverings, while fiber optics were embedded into the plaster walls to illuminate at night. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024

The security of the watermark comes from it being embedded into the fibers of the ballot paper during the milling process, as opposed to it simply being printed onto the paper. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

More importantly, developers will also inevitably leave a paper trail of credentials, application programming interface tokens and passkeys embedded in their code, which can remain exposed for years, even after deletion. —Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1794, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

embed

verb

em·​bed

variants also imbed

im-ˈbed

embedded also imbedded; embedding also imbedding

1

: to enclose in or as if in a surrounding mass : set solidly in or as if in a bed

embed a post in concrete

2

: to prepare (material for use under a microscope) for cutting by infiltrating with and enclosing in a supporting substance (as paraffin)

Medical Definition

embed

transitive verb

em·​bed

variants also imbed

im-ˈbed 

embedded also imbedded; embedding also imbedding

: to prepare (a microscopy specimen) for sectioning by infiltrating with and enclosing in a supporting substance

embedment

-ˈbed-mənt 

noun