embody

American  

[em-bod-ee] / ɛmˈbɒd i /

verb (used with object)

embodied, embodying

1. to give a concrete form to; express, personify, or exemplify in concrete form.

   to embody an idea in an allegorical painting.

2. to provide with a body incarnate; make corporeal.

   to embody a spirit.

3. to collect into or include in a body; organize; incorporate.

4. to embrace or comprise.

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embody British  

/ ɪmˈbɒdɪ /

verb

1. to give a tangible, bodily, or concrete form to (an abstract concept)

2. to be an example of or express (an idea, principle, etc), esp in action

   his gentleness embodies a Christian ideal

3. (often foll by in) to collect or unite in a comprehensive whole, system, etc; comprise; include

   all the different essays were embodied in one long article

4. to invest (a spiritual entity) with a body or with bodily form; render incarnate

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Other Word Forms

• embodier noun
• embodiment noun
• preembody verb (used with object)
• reembody verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of embody

First recorded in 1540–50; em- ¹ + body

Explanation

To embody a role is to fill it completely. If a high schooler seems to embody the character of Macbeth, his performance might make the audience forget they're watching a dorky 15-year-old with braces. If you embody someone, you put him or her "in-body," as when an actor gives a complete and compelling representation of a character. You can also use embody to describe character traits you see in a person, like, “He embodies truth,” or, “She is the embodiment of goodness.”

Example Sentences

West didn’t just embody feminist fat acceptance; she made it cool and brought it to the masses.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

He is obsessed with popular media and showbiz and the shabby values they embody.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

With their mix of social realism, symbolism and pure escapism, the movies of 1939 embody the same themes that kept audiences flocking to the cinema and other forms of entertainment throughout the decade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

"I was never quite interested in being the star of my own show – but as I grew as an artist, I had to embody that," she explains.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

All languages embody the obsessions of the people who speak them, and so Sasha’s language was meant to reflect the interests of a people whose world was dominated by growing seasons, grains, and harvests.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Related Words

• demonstrate
• epitomize
• exemplify
• exhibit
• express
• illustrate
• incorporate
• manifest
• mirror
• personify
• realize
• stand for
• symbolize
• typify