The Meaning of Embrace: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of embrace? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word embrace, including its definition, usage, examples, and more!

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What does the word embrace mean?

According to Collins English Dictionary and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the word embrace is a noun and a verb that can refer to a greeting in which one wraps another in a pair of arms such as a a hug, or a more figurative acceptance or ideology, such as one country embracing a territory under its protection. This is a protective acceptance or an expression of affection. Embrace is two syllables – em-brace, and the pronunciation of embrace is ɪmbreɪs. Different suffixes like ing, ble, er and ment can be added to the end of embrace to make related words.

The word embrace can be used in many different ways in the English language. A person might embrace Judaism and convert if their spouse is of the Jewish faith, geologists might embrace the science of mineralogy, or a student might embrace their gift for criminal law and decide to work for the FBI. Someone might embrace a wide range of people from different backgrounds with eager acceptance. A person might pull their partner into an amorous embrace.

Different languages also contain words that mean embrace. You might notice that some of these words look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are when two words that mean something similar and different languages also look and sound similar. Cognates are formed when two words have the same root or language of origin. This list of translations of embrace is provided by Word Sense.

  •  Catalan: abraçar‎
  •  Russian: обнима́ть‎ (impf), обня́ть‎ (pf)
  •  Slovene: objeti‎
  •  Arabic: اِحْتَضَنَ‎
  •  Maore Comorian: v̄ahara‎
  •  Swedish: krama‎, omfamna‎
  •  Turkish: sarılmak‎
  •  Finnish: halata‎, syleillä‎
  •  French: étreindre‎, embrasser‎
  •  Irish: cuach‎
  •  Spanish: abrazar‎
  •  Dutch: omarmen‎, omhelzen‎, knuffelen‎
  •  Maori: kēkeke‎, awhi‎, awhiawhi‎, tauawhi‎, whakahiapo‎, kauawhi‎, kauawhiawhi‎
  •  Greek: ασπάζομαι‎
  •  Armenian: փարվել‎
  •  Latin: amplector‎
  •  Afrikaans: omhels‎
  •  Japanese: 抱擁‎, 抱く‎ (いだく, idaku)
  •  Bulgarian: прегръщам‎
  •  Polish: objąć‎, uściskać‎
  •  Scottish Gaelic: ioma-ghlac‎
  •  Occitan: abraçar‎, embraçar‎
  •  Quechua: marq’ay‎
  •  Georgian: ეხუტება‎
  •  Mandarin: 擁抱‎, 拥抱‎ (yōngbào)
  •  Persian: در آغوش گرفتن‎ (dar âğuš gereftan)
  •  Czech: obejmout‎
  •  Romanian: îmbrățișa‎
  •  Portuguese: abraçar‎
  •  Telugu: కౌగిలించు‎
  •  Ido: embracar‎
  •  German: umarmen‎

What is the origin of the word embrace?

According to Etymonline, the word embrace has been used since the mid-14c Middle English. This word comes from the Old French embracer which in Modern French is written as embrasser. This means to clasp in the arms, enclose covet, handle, or cope with. This comes from the words brace and braz, which both refer to the arms. These come from the Latin bracchium, which is the neuter plural of the Latin bracchia arms.  These Latin words come from the Greek brakhion, which also means an arm. 

What are synonyms and antonyms of embrace?

There are many equivalent words that a person can use in place of the word embrace. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same meaning as another word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your vocabulary and avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms for the word embrace is provided by Power Thesaurus.

  •  encircle
  •  hold close
  •  be composed of
  •  press
  •  bosom
  •  take into account
  •  bribe
  •  kissing
  •  caress
  •  accepted
  •  contain
  •  kiss
  •  crush
  •  petting
  •  hugging
  •  take in
  •  espouse
  •  clasp
  •  welcome
  •  surround
  •  hug
  •  hold
  •  incorporate
  •  accept
  •  nuzzle
  •  acquire
  •  cling to
  •  cradle
  •  embracement
  •  receive
  •  embody
  •  bear hug
  •  lock
  •  comprise
  •  subsume
  •  canoodle
  •  neck
  •  hugs
  •  stroke
  •  involve
  •  endorse
  •  cling
  •  take on
  •  clutch
  •  encompass
  •  appreciate
  •  grasp
  •  wrap
  •  buss
  •  admit
  •  fondle
  •  cuddling
  •  snuggle
  •  agree
  •  embracing
  •  seize
  •  clinch
  •  holding
  •  espousing
  •  approve
  •  envelop
  •  embosom
  •  take
  •  take over
  •  show affection
  •  handle
  •  arrogate
  •  encompassing
  •  take up
  •  squeeze
  •  assume
  •  enclose
  •  cover
  •  clench
  •  co-opt
  •  hold tight
  •  sphere
  •  greet
  •  fold
  •  pet
  •  gather
  •  cuddle
  •  back
  •  accepting
  •  sweep up
  •  inclusion
  •  grip
  •  touch
  •  give a hug
  •  encirclement
  •  include
  •  accommodate
  •  comprehend
  •  adhere
  •  choose
  •  love
  •  adopted
  •  go in for
  •  strain
  •  have
  •  adopt
  •  enfold
  •  assimilate
  •  hugged
  •  support
  •  espoused
  •  cordiality
  •  comfort
  •  alacrity
  •  enclosure
  •  fondness

There are also many words and phrases that mean the opposite of the word embrace. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another quick and easy way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of antonyms of embrace is also provided by Power Thesaurus

  •  be dissatisfied with
  •  dismiss
  •  be displeased with
  •  decry
  •  anathematize
  •  have a poor opinion of
  •  denounce
  •  vacillate
  •  apprehend
  •  give something a miss
  •  not believe in
  •  demur
  •  remonstrate against
  •  refuse
  •  disfavor
  •  eliminate
  •  spurn
  •  doubt
  •  say no to
  •  have reservations about
  •  stop
  •  let go
  •  denude
  •  animadvert
  •  waver
  •  repel
  •  send packing
  •  shilly-shally
  •  disallow
  •  distrust
  •  be uncertain
  •  reproach
  •  decline
  •  be hostile towards
  •  bar
  •  hesitate
  •  erase
  •  knock
  •  avoid
  •  be dubious
  •  debar
  •  look down one’s nose at
  •  detest
  •  eschew
  •  condemn
  •  have suspicions about
  •  wonder about
  •  veto
  •  despise
  •  blame
  •  avulse
  •  abjure
  •  attack
  •  exclude
  •  renounce
  •  lose
  •  give up
  •  arraign
  •  challenge
  •  reject
  •  have doubts about
  •  deprecate
  •  discard
  •  loathe
  •  dispute
  •  criticize
  •  express a poor opinion of
  •  abnegate
  •  turn down
  •  shun
  •  harbour suspicions about
  •  look askance at
  •  not support
  •  send somebody packing
  •  be against
  •  fluctuate
  •  alienate
  •  harbour reservations about
  •  think wrong
  •  scorn
  •  find unacceptable
  •  rebuke
  •  omit
  •  reprove
  •  abstain
  •  deny
  •  deplore
  •  abandon
  •  feel uneasy about
  •  frown on
  •  disbelieve
  •  censure
  •  release
  •  take a dim view of
  •  disparage
  •  send someone packing
  •  have doubts
  •  repudiate
  •  ban
  •  take exception to

Overall, the word embrace means to accept or to grasp with one’s arms. This word can be used literally or figuratively. One can literally embrace another by pulling them into a hug or passionate kiss. One can figuratively embrace another person by accepting them and their different qualities or ways of being.

Sources:

  1. Embrace synonyms – 2 323 Words and Phrases for Embrace | Power Thesaurus 
  2. embrace: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  3. Embrace definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary 
  4. Embrace antonyms – 621 Opposites of Embrace | Power Thesaurus 
  5. embrace | Origin and meaning of embrace | Online Etymology Dictionary