embankment

American  

[em-bangk-muhnt] / ɛmˈbæŋk mənt /

noun

1. a bank, mound, dike, or the like, raised to hold back water, carry a roadway, etc.

2. the action of embanking.

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embankment British  

/ ɪmˈbæŋkmənt /

noun

1. a man-made ridge of earth or stone that carries a road or railway or confines a waterway See also levee 1

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Etymology

Origin of embankment

First recorded in 1780–90; embank + -ment

Example Sentences

On the morning of 6 April 2009, a lorry driver pulled off the M4 and parked in an underpass near Porthcawl, south Wales, and spotted a suitcase in an embankment.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

"We've planned these works carefully so that several essential upgrades, from tunnel repairs to platform extension work and embankment maintenance, can be delivered in one closure period."

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

Papoli, 58, of Newport Beach, was found dead Nov. 18 about 75 feet down a steep embankment near Highway 138 and Crestline Road, in the mountain town of Crestline, officials reported.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Some of the carriages had tumbled down an embankment of four metres, Sanz said at his press conference.

From Barron's • Jan. 18, 2026

She walked quickly away from the river, because the embankment was wide and well lit.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• hill