embed

American  

[em-bed, em-bed] / ɛmˈbɛd, ˈɛmˌbɛd /

Sometimes imbed

verb (used with object)

• embeds,
  present (3rd person singular)
• embedded,
  past participle,  past
• embedding
  present participle

1. 

   to fix into a surrounding mass.

   to embed stones in cement.

2. to surround tightly or firmly; envelop or enclose.

   Thick cotton padding embedded the precious vase in its box.

3. to incorporate or contain as an essential part or characteristic.

   A love of color is embedded in all of her paintings.

4. Histology. to infiltrate (a biological tissue) with molten paraffin or other plastic material that later solidifies, enabling the preparation to be sliced very thin for viewing under a microscope.

5. Mathematics. to map (a set) into another set.

6. Grammar. to insert (a construction, as a phrase or clause) into a larger construction, as a clause or sentence.

7. 1. to assign (a journalist) to travel with a military unit or a political campaign: We've embedded a reporter with each of the presidential candidates.

      The photojournalists were embedded in Afghanistan with U.S. troops.

      We've embedded a reporter with each of the presidential candidates.

   2. to invite (an expert, creative professional, etc.) to work closely with a group or participate in a special event.

      We have embedded writers within our acting companies, and now have playwrights writing pieces for the actors they are working with.

8. Digital Technology. to place (text, images, sound, or computer code) in a computer file, HTML document, software program, or electronic device.

   Here's how to embed videos on your website.

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verb (used without object)

• embeds,
  present (3rd person singular)
• embedded,
  past participle,  past
• embedding
  present participle

1. to be or become fixed or incorporated, as into a surrounding mass.

   Glass embeds in the soft tar of the road.

noun

1. a person who has been embedded, as with a military unit.

2. a period of time during which a person is embedded.

embed British  

/ ɪmˈbɛd /

verb

1. (usually foll by in) to fix or become fixed firmly and deeply in a surrounding solid mass

   to embed a nail in wood

2. (tr) to surround closely

   hard rock embeds the roots

3. (tr) to fix or retain (a thought, idea, etc) in the mind

4. (often foll by with) to assign a journalist or be assigned as one to accompany an active military unit

5. (tr) grammar to insert (a subordinate clause) into a sentence

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noun

1. a journalist accompanying an active military unit

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• embedment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• embedding
  present
• embedded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• embed
  simple
• embeds
  simple
• have embedded
  perfect
• has embedded
  perfect
• am embedding
  progressive
• are embedding
  progressive
• is embedding
  progressive
• have been embedding
  perfect progressive
• has been embedding
  perfect progressive

Past

• embedded
  simple
• had embedded
  perfect
• was embedding
  progressive
• were embedding
  progressive
• had been embedding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will embed
  simple
• will have embedded
  perfect
• will be embedding
  progressive
• will have been embedding
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of embed

First recorded in 1770–80; em- ¹ + bed

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Explanation

The verb embed means to implant something or someone — like to embed a stone into a garden pathway or to embed a journalist in a military unit. When you stick something firmly within a particular environment, you are embedding it. If you are an archeologist, you might spend a lot of your time looking for pottery shards embedded in the earth. If you are a web site designer, you might embed video clips on web pages. And if your newspaper is covering a war overseas, you might consider embedding a journalist in a military troop in order to have a source reporting back from the front lines.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

embed embeds embedded embedding

All while trying to embed a clutch of new players.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

The devices were designed to embed credit card information inside a wearable ring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

Lindsay: As leaders embed artificial intelligence into the workplace, they are realizing that the technology only knows as much as the data it can access.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

"The harm is happening now," Apple's lawyers say, and "every day that passes without an injunction allows OpenAI to embed their knowledge of Apple's stolen information into its hardware development efforts."

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

“We could do that with your definitive leg if you want. It doesn’t cost anything extra. I just embed the cloth when I’m making the socket.”

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

The paper also embeds satellite images showing "three huge storms fuelled by El Niño moving across the Pacific".

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Another issue for Microsoft has been its suite of Copilot AI tools, which embeds AI assistants into Microsoft’s Office, Teams and GitHub software.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

In our work, we see these two scenarios unfolding firsthand: One of us advises corporate boards on what to watch for in AI; the other embeds AI into investor workflows.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 10, 2026

Still, it embeds a fair bit of caution.

From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026

It changes, yes, it grows, it embeds itself across the post-industrial, postmodern world and it generates community wherever it touches, and it is doing this all by itself.

From The Hacker Crackdown, law and disorder on the electronic frontier by Bruce Sterling

With that strange mental image firmly embedded in my brain, it’s time for me to dip out.

From Slate ● Oct. 14, 2026

As the embryo developed, the DNA Typewriter remained embedded in the genetic material of its cells, recording their divisions in a way that could later be used to reconstruct their ancestry.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

When something stops going down on bad news, that means too much negativity is embedded in the price.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

While traditional industrial robots are designed to repeat a specific task and need to be reprogrammed to do something different, RobCo says Alfie’s embedded AI allows it to adapt to new tasks on its own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

With each step forward, tiny finger-sized shards of white crystals embedded in the walls reflected the crystal fire.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

“The status quo of our officer pipelines is pretty good, but the future will be even better by embedding continuous military discipline and leadership development into new institutions,” Hegseth said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

The company is seeking more access to the lucrative wealth management sector by embedding itself in the technology that financial advisors use.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

In a statement, the DoH said the minister is "committed to reducing waiting times across the system and embedding long term changes that deliver better outcomes for all patients".

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

So much recent blockbuster filmmaking has been about embedding heart-wrenching pathos into the nostalgic elements we know and love.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

I stand in front of the mirror, feeling the little grains of sand embedding ever deeper into my hair.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

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