embarked

Embarked is the past tense and past participle of the verb embark. It describes the act of going on board a vessel or aircraft, such as passengers and crew members who boarded a ship or plane. The term is also used metaphorically to indicate the start of a journey, project, or undertaking, as in “the company embarked on a new strategy.”

Etymology and related terms: Embark comes from Old French embarquer, from en- “to put on” and barque “boat.” The noun forms include embarkation, meaning the act of boarding, and disembarkation, the act of leaving a vessel. Debarkation is a less common synonym sometimes used in aviation and shipping.

Usage notes: In narrative and historical writing, embarked often describes a voyage or military deployment. In modern business writing, it is used to signal the initiation of a project or initiative, though alternatives like began or started may be preferred for directness. In travel contexts, embarked and disembarked appear on passenger manifests and related documentation.

See also: Embarkation; Disembarkation; Debark (verb).