embrace
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug.
-
to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly.
to embrace an idea.
-
to avail oneself of.
to embrace an opportunity.
- Synonyms:
- seize
-
to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.).
to embrace Buddhism.
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to take in with the eye or the mind.
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to encircle; surround; enclose.
a secret garden embraced by wild shrubs.
-
to include or contain.
An encyclopedia embraces a great number of subjects.
- Antonyms:
- exclude
verb (used without object)
noun
verb (used with object)
verb
-
(also intr) (of a person) to take or clasp (another person) in the arms, or (of two people) to clasp each other, as in affection, greeting, etc; hug
-
to accept (an opportunity, challenge, etc) willingly or eagerly
-
to take up (a new idea, faith, etc); adopt
to embrace Judaism
-
to comprise or include as an integral part
geology embraces the science of mineralogy
-
to encircle or enclose
noun
-
the act of embracing
-
euphemistic (often plural) sexual intercourse
verb
Synonym Usage
See include.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of embrace1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French embracier, equivalent to em- em- 1 + bracier “to embrace,” derivative of brace “the two arms”; see brace
Origin of embrace2
First recorded in 1420–1475; late Middle English: “to influence, prejudice, bribe (a jury),” perhaps the same word as embrace 1
Explanation
To embrace something is to welcome it with open arms, hold, hug, accept completely. You might embrace your sweetheart, or even changes in technology. Embrace is from the French verb embrasser, which started out meaning "to clasp in the arms" (but now includes kissing). You embrace someone by giving her a giant hug, and when you embrace a new idea, it's like your brain gives it a hug. The noun and verb form are similar: If you embrace someone who isn't your sweetheart, you might get caught in an embrace. In Henry IV, Shakespeare writes about a really, really tight embrace: "I will embrace him with a soldier's arm/That he shall shrink under my courtesy."
Vocabulary lists containing embrace
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Of Mice and Men
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"Of Mice and Men"
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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:
The experience suggests that to achieve enlightenment, one must embrace these limitations, come to peace with contradictions, and maintain faith in a larger order that we cannot fathom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Nonetheless, the actor hopes fans will embrace the show's new female football team.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
She added: "The new uniform empowers girls and volunteers to embrace their individuality."
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Although some companies may be shy about sharing their AI plans, big stars who don’t have to answer to others have been more open about their embrace of the new technology for storytelling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
“Me loves evvybody,” she once said, opening her arms, with her spoon in one hand, and her mug in the other, as if eager to embrace and nourish the whole world.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
“It’s a modern kind of feminism that embraces self assurance and femininity on your own terms.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Pentagon officials have said they want to reduce reliance on individual tech companies as the military embraces AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Byrd, on the other hand, embraces it all, even without the hazy glow of ’80s-era DV cameras.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
So her queerness is kind of counter to her self-image and once she embraces it, she embraces it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
Before my good sense can get a word in edgewise I'm running across the room, throwing my arms around him in an embrace to beat all embraces.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
While many Chinese cities have restricted motorcycling, Chongqing has embraced it and become a biker's paradise.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
Investors and analysts have embraced the idea of a merger following a record-setting IPO for SpaceX, which raised $86 billion for the company in June.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
According to the OECD, Britain's low adoption of robotics is "surprising" given its manufacturing heritage, noting that while UK firms have embraced mature digital technologies, they lag behind in robotics and automation.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
He embraced the nickname “Satan,” which a former client affixed after Reilly went to work for an archrival, as a reflection of his reputation for intimidation and mastery of the political dark arts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
My mother, sister, brothers, and I embraced him, but our happiness lasted only a moment.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
She isn’t letting the hype surrounding the show make her nervous, and said she remains focused on embracing the role.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Wealthy investors are embracing 351 exchanges that convert concentrated stockholdings into diversified funds without capital gains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Matt Damon is embracing a new chapter in life—and his carefully curated real estate portfolio reflects the family-first priorities that have guided him for years.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Barcelona's number 10 embracing their most legendary number 10.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
They come to believe in what he believes—not in art for art’s sake, but in art as a way of fully embracing, and understanding, life.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
