embrace
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug.
-
to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly.
to embrace an idea.
-
to avail oneself of.
to embrace an opportunity.
- Synonyms:
- seize
-
to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.).
to embrace Buddhism.
-
to take in with the eye or the mind.
-
to encircle; surround; enclose.
a secret garden embraced by wild shrubs.
-
to include or contain.
An encyclopedia embraces a great number of subjects.
- Antonyms:
- exclude
verb (used without object)
noun
-
embraces
plural
verb (used with object)
verb
-
(also intr) (of a person) to take or clasp (another person) in the arms, or (of two people) to clasp each other, as in affection, greeting, etc; hug
-
to accept (an opportunity, challenge, etc) willingly or eagerly
-
to take up (a new idea, faith, etc); adopt
to embrace Judaism
-
to comprise or include as an integral part
geology embraces the science of mineralogy
-
to encircle or enclose
noun
-
the act of embracing
-
euphemistic (often plural) sexual intercourse
verb
Synonym Usage
See include.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of embrace1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French embracier, equivalent to em- em- 1 + bracier “to embrace,” derivative of brace “the two arms”; see brace
Origin of embrace2
First recorded in 1420–1475; late Middle English: “to influence, prejudice, bribe (a jury),” perhaps the same word as embrace 1
Explanation
To embrace something is to welcome it with open arms, hold, hug, accept completely. You might embrace your sweetheart, or even changes in technology. Embrace is from the French verb embrasser, which started out meaning "to clasp in the arms" (but now includes kissing). You embrace someone by giving her a giant hug, and when you embrace a new idea, it's like your brain gives it a hug. The noun and verb form are similar: If you embrace someone who isn't your sweetheart, you might get caught in an embrace. In Henry IV, Shakespeare writes about a really, really tight embrace: "I will embrace him with a soldier's arm/That he shall shrink under my courtesy."
Vocabulary lists containing embrace
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But the unbridled embrace of aquaculture as a sustainable answer to feeding the planet ignores some very real costs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
The former president "needs to be free to embrace the people," Alfredo Gaspar, Flavio Bolsonaro's running mate, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Crocs is expanding beyond Jibbitz to embrace “elevated” customization like temporary shoe tattoos and attachable ballet ribbons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
He was also filmed sharing a dressing-room embrace with former England international Teimana Harrison, who won five England caps in 2016 and now plays for Provence.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
My dad gives me a big hug and then pulls Justin into his embrace too.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
The kitchen, meanwhile, embraces classic New York City style with dark wood cabinetry, ample storage, and modern appliances.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
"Imagine a grandfather who silently embraces you every day, listens to you, and has always been strong and full of life," she says.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Dostoevsky follows the narrator over four nights and a morning during which he ceases living in his imagination and embraces reality for the first time.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
John Winterman, co-owner of Francie, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg in New York, embraces as many of the apps as his diners do.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Enrique, who was old enough by then that he usually squirmed away from my mom’s embraces, must have known the situation was serious, because he let her do it.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
That desire for privacy appears to align with the quieter lifestyle Carrey has embraced away from Hollywood in recent years.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Does being embraced by the Nashville industry feel like a reasonable goal?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
On Wednesday night, protesters in the square wept and embraced each other after learning the news.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Theaker did not appear to react as she read her statement and the woman was embraced and supported by her family as she returned to the public gallery.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
They embraced for a few breaths and then released each other.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
For Netflix, that means looking outside of its once-unimpeachable red walls and embracing more reluctant partnerships with rivals, while cutting costs and overhauling old practices wherever possible.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Atkinson did, however, point out that the media landscape has changed, and suggested there is a place for embracing influencers and content creators to ensure Wimbledon remains relevant.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The airline announced Thursday that it plans to expand its rollout of Starlink internet to its entire mainline fleet, embracing the fast wi-fi that has become a popular passenger perk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Footage shared by Netanyahu's office showed the premier meeting passengers after their arrival in Tel Aviv and embracing a man in a bloodied shirt.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Angela looked back at the embracing couple; her father's face was buried in her weeping mother's tousled hair.
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
