embark
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to board a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, as for a journey.
-
to start an enterprise, business, etc.
verb (used with object)
-
to put or receive on board a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.
-
to involve (someone) in an enterprise.
-
to venture or invest (something) in an enterprise.
verb
-
to board (a ship or aircraft)
-
(intr; usually foll by on or upon) to commence or engage (in) a new project, venture, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
embarksimple
-
embarkssimple
-
have embarkedperfect
-
has embarkedperfect
-
am embarkingprogressive
-
are embarkingprogressive
-
is embarkingprogressive
-
have been embarkingperfect progressive
-
has been embarkingperfect progressive
Past
-
embarkedsimple
-
had embarkedperfect
-
was embarkingprogressive
-
were embarkingprogressive
-
had been embarkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of embark
First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French embarquer, from Spanish embarcar; from em- em- 1 + -barcar, verb derivative of barca bark 3
Explanation
When you embark on something, you are starting it — and it's exciting. You might embark on a new career or embark on a trip to the Galapagos Islands. You wouldn't embark on a trip to the grocery store. The verb embark can be used specifically to refer to boarding a ship for a journey. When used for general travel, the verb embark often implies a longer journey: "She embarked on a trip around the world." Besides physical journeys, embark can be used to mean to start other kinds of journeys as well. You might embark on a spiritual journey or embark on the path to enlightenment. Pack well.
Vocabulary lists containing embark
Vocabulary from "There Will Never Be an Age of Artificial Intimacy," by Sherry Turkle
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Donald Trump's Victory Speech, November 9, 2016
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from news articles about rescued teenage sailor
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
At the top of your memo, write, “Please read all of this before you embark on the house swap.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
The wildlife park said it believed Mary made an "abnormally large leap" to embark on her 15-day adventure.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
And it is clear Tuchel wants England to be just as ready physically as in the football context as they embark on their quest to win the World Cup.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
Timotheus Höttges is about to embark on the most ambitious test of his professional career: trying to push through the largest public-company merger in history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Thomas couldn’t help shaking his head—here they were, about to embark on probably the most dangerous task of their lives, and Chuck was curious where he’d gotten his nickname.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary embarks on a series of extramarital affairs after indulging in romantic fiction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
According to the post, Nautas’ name evokes the spirit of a “sailor, navigator, voyager, one who embarks on a journey and fears not the unknown.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
Analysts see even bigger things ahead for Sandisk as the company embarks on a significant business transformation.
From MarketWatch ● May 1, 2026
The South Korean, already beloved in California as he embarks on his first full season, set up a first-half strike for David Martinez, before Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz sealed victory.
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026
This includes railroad travel to Fall River, a distance of about fifty miles, where the traveler embarks on a great steamer and arrives in New York after a night on Long Island Sound.
From Robert Coverdale's Struggle Or, On The Wave Of Success by Alger, Horatio
Kai Sato, 39, embarked on an odyssey, but the trip he got was not the one he planned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Renault has embarked on a massive electrification drive.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
When we embarked upon this journey, we didn't know he would be entering No 10.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
In addition to her albums, Tyler embarked on several tours, most recently her Between the Earth and the Stars live tour in 2019.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
We now had no alternative but to resort to civil disobedience, and we embarked on preparations for mass action in earnest.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Spain had not won a World Cup knockout game since lifting the trophy in the South Africa tournament, before embarking on this run.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
This is going to be painful in ways that you can’t foresee, but if you remain adaptable and empathetic, you could be embarking on an illuminating chapter of your life.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
“I thought: What are the stories that I want to tell? And I started writing them,” he says over video chat, back in Sydney for the Australian premiere before embarking on a U.S. press tour.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
SpaceX has been cash-flow positive for more than a decade, said Musk, but “we are embarking on a significant growth phase where we’re going to put in orbit probably a 100,000 satellites.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
I was embarking on a fact-finding mission, which I would combine with the pleasures of seeing the countryside and old friends and comrades.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions 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.
