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

"We don't feel the current reviews really embed parents at the centre of that process," she said.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The Journal went on such an embed in early October.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Their goal is to embed compassionate care throughout the health service.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Robinhood’s launch is part of an industrywide push to embed AI tools in how everyday Americans research, plan and execute their investments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

At least I won’t have to actually “listen” to the lectures, since the En Cognito device that puts us to sleep is also programmed to embed those topics directly into our brains.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

The startup embeds its FDEs within enterprises to both consult on strategy and build AI tools.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

But as the firm increasingly embeds itself in public bodies, the opinions and influence of its leaders leave some fearful.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 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

And F1 not only has lucrative race contracts in place, but Qatar and Abu Dhabi are both heavily embedded in the sport.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

With the help of an AI operator, Manaswi Mishra, who is embedded in the orchestra, the AI becomes the “already” in “already and not yet.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

The comments come as the RBA has ramped up its communication about upside inflation risks in recent months amid concerns that elevated consumer inflation expectations are starting to become embedded.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

AFP reporters on the scene in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha saw one train embedded into another after the second such accident to strike Spain this year.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

They each lead to a tall, metal hangar door embedded in the wall, spaced out evenly.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

From there the club decide whether to start embedding a player from the academy or enter the market to replace.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

It’s as if he recognizes that 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

More elaborate designs, including hatched bands, grids, and diamond-shaped motifs, also showed evidence of rotation, translation, repetition, and "embedding," i.e., the ability to build hierarchical levels of signs within the same surface.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

He created the Defence AI Center A1 -- a hub dedicated to embedding AI in the military and using live feedback from the front to speed up the deployment of new technology.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

‘Preferably one that doesn’t involve embedding my pain in the stones.’

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

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