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Showing Results for "embedded"
See Also:
  • past participle of embed.
  • past tense form of embed.
Synonyms

embedded

American  
[em-bed-id] / ɛmˈbɛd ɪd /
Sometimes imbedded

adjective

  1. fixed or snugly enclosed in a surrounding mass.

    The young turtles are weighed, measured, and tagged with an embedded microchip before being released back into the salt marsh.

  2. incorporated into something as an essential characteristic.

    In any cultural context, deeply embedded values and attitudes can be difficult to change.

    1. being or relating to a journalist assigned to travel with a military unit or political campaign.

      He was an embedded reporter with the First Marine Division during the invasion of Iraq.

    2. working closely with a group or participating in a special event as an invited expert, creative professional, etc..

      As Radio 3’s first embedded composer, he is writing one new piece of music a week for the breakfast show.

  3. Digital Technology. (of text, images, sound, or code) placed in a computer file, HTML document, software program, or electronic device.

    Click here or watch the embedded video below to learn more about the work of our Foundation.

  4. Grammar. (of a construction, as a phrase or clause) inserted into a larger construction, as a clause or sentence.

    Informative texts often include unfamiliar technical vocabulary and complex sentences with embedded clauses.

  5. Histology. (of biological tissue) infiltrated with melted paraffin or other such material that later solidifies, enabling the preparation to be sliced very thin for viewing under a microscope (sometimes used in combination).

    The fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues were cut into sections 5 μm thick and mounted on glass slides.


verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of embed.

Etymology

Origin of embedded

embed ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

Explanation

The adjective embedded describes something that is encased in a surrounding substance. On a walking tour of Fredericksburg, Virginia, you can see buildings with embedded Civil War cannonballs. Embedded also means to insert as part of a whole. In wartime, embedded journalists are stationed with military units so that they can make first-hand reports on the news, and so that viewers can have a more in-depth understanding of issues facing the soldiers. This use arose during the Iraq war in 2003. Embedded comes from the verb embed, which originally applied to materials embedded in rocks, such as fossils.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing embedded

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.

As well as young influencers like Ellie-May, there are many more young girls who have multi-step skincare routines embedded in their day.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

To accomplish this, the researchers embedded hydrogen titanate nanoparticles into the microscopic grooves of the black metal surface.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2026

Sales of emerging categories including collectibles, 3D printers, and glasses embedded with artificial-intelligence features also doubled year-over-year, the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

“Oil’s response to an unverified document confirmed how much supply-shock premium remains embedded in crude, and that sensitivity will not fade until a deal is signed or definitively falls apart.”

From Barron's • May 28, 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

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