2 syllables: em, bark. Stress on bark.
em-BAHRK
/ɛˈmbɑɹk/
embark is pronounced em-BAHRK (/ɛˈmbɑɹk/). It has two syllables (em-bark), with the stress on "bark". Embark means to go aboard a vehicle or start a journey or project. It often implies beginning a significant or formal venture and signals a transition from preparation to action. The term is commonly used in travel, exploration, and metaphorical contexts to indicate the outset of something new and potentially consequential.
Embark means to go aboard a vehicle or start a journey or project. It often implies beginning a significant or formal venture and signals a transition from preparation to action. The term is commonly used in travel, exploration, and metaphorical contexts to indicate the outset of something new and potentially consequential.
"The passengers will embark the plane once boarding is complete."
"She decided to embark on a new career in environmental law."
"Researchers embarked on a long-term study to track climate effects."
pronounced as ɪmˈbɑrk in US or UK IPA conventions, with the primary stress on the second syllable. The initial syllable is a short, unstressed "em" sound, roughly /ɪm/ or /ɛm/, followed by a strong, rhotic-leaning or non-rhotic 'bark' component. The key is a clean /ɑː/ or /ɑ/ in the stressed syllable and a crisp /k/ at the end. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a sharp stop after the /b/ and a full vowel in the second syllable. In practice you can say: em-BARK, with the emphasis on the second syllable and a firm /k/ release.
Common mistakes include softening the /b/ into a bilabial fricative or merging /mb/ into /m/ when transitioning to the /b/; another error is pronouncing the final /rk/ as /rk/ in a single, quick blend instead of a clean /ɹk/ or /ɐːk/ depending on accent. Correct by ensuring a distinct /b/ stop after /m/ and clearly articulating the /ɑ/ vowel in the stressed syllable, then releasing into a crisp /k/. Practice with a short pause after /b/ to maintain the clear stop on /k/.
In US and UK, the stressed syllable has a strong /ɑː/ (US /ɑː/, UK /ɑː/), with the final /rk/ producing a light /ɹk/ or a more alveolar tap in some contexts. Australian English often has a broader vowel in /ɑː/ and a slightly less rhotic feel in some speakers, but the /k/ release remains. The initial unstressed syllable remains /ɪm/ or /ɛm/. Overall, the main differences center on vowel quality and rhoticity in the post-stressed segment.
The difficulty lies in the contrastive vowel quality of the stressed syllable, which is a low back/almost open vowel, plus a crisp, aspirated /k/ at the end. Speakers often devoiced or slur the /b/ or glide through the transition from /m/ to /b/, producing a blurred onset. Paying attention to the stop consonant release and keeping the /ɑː/ quality steady across dialects helps stabilize pronunciation.
A useful, word-specific query is: Does the initial 'em-' reduce to a voiceless schwa before /m/? The answer is no; the initial syllable tends to be /ɪm/ or /ɛm/ with clear voicing on /m/. The emphasis remains on /bɑrk/. This clarifies two phonemic points: consistent voicing in /m/ and the placement of stress on the second syllable.
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Embark originates from the phrase to barque (or bark), referring to a ship or boat, and the Old French emprunter, later evolving in Middle English usage to mean boarding a vessel. The semantic core centers on catching a ride or entering onto a craft, which over time broadened to describe beginning any significant venture. The earliest attestations appear in medieval nautical contexts, where embarking literally described travelers stepping onto ships. By the 16th century, the metaphorical sense—“to embark on a voyage or undertaking”—was well established, aligning with maritime language and the broader idea of commencing a journey. The word’s form reflects compounding elements: em- (in) + barque (a sailing vessel). In modern English, embark maintains that dual maritime and figurative meaning, and it is commonly used with on or upon, as in embark on a trip or embark on a project. It has retained a formal or somewhat elevated register, but remains widely understood in everyday usage for major beginnings. First known use is recorded in the early modern period, aligning with the growth of global travel and longer, more ambitious projects that required formal language.
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Words that rhyme with "embark"
-ark sounds
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