'Imbed' vs 'Embed': What's the Difference Between the Two?

Wondering which to use – ‘imbed’ or ‘embed’? And what is the difference between the two? We can help clear that up, plus teach you how to use the correct version in a sentence.

In short, the difference is that they’re two different spellings of the same word. They both mean the same thing -  to make something an important part of, to put inside of, to prepare, and to insert (a media file, graphic, video, or audio clip) into a computer document (such as a website or in an email). Therefore, you can use them interchangeably.

Imbed vs. Embed - Which is Correct?

Both these words have the same meaning, as you just learned. Therefore, they're both correct, and it’s okay to swap one out for the other whenever you need to.

Unlike with British and American spellings of a word, you can use both forms of the word, no matter your audience.

‘Imbed’ vs. ‘Embed’ – What’s the Difference? 

The only difference between these words is the spelling. They mean the exact same thing, so feel free to use whichever spelling of the word you want to.

These words sound similar but mean the same thing, which means they don’t qualify as homophones – words that sound the same but mean different things (i.e., there, their, and they’re).

Definition and Meaning of ‘Imbed’ and ‘Embed’

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of these two words is to make something an important part of, to put inside of, to prepare, and to insert (a media file, graphic, video, or audio clip) into a computer document (such as a website or in an email).

It could also mean attaching to a military unit to hide a problem or to surround closely.

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘Imbed’ and ‘Embed’

Wondering how to pronounce these words? Here’s a short guide.

• To pronounce ‘imbed’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:
• To pronounce ‘embed’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:

How to Use ‘Imbed’ and ‘Embed’ in a Sentence

Now that you know what the words mean and how to pronounce them, let’s take a look at a few examples of how to use them in a sentence.

• I’m going to embed an image into this email, so you don’t have to download any attachments.
• That insect is embedded in amber. That’s pretty incredible that it’s lasted so long.
• The splinter was embedded in her finger. Her mom had to use tweezers to get it out.
• The arrow was imbedded into the wall after it was shot from the bow.
• Will you embed this video into your blog post? It’ll be easier for some people to get the information via video.

Concluding Thoughts on ‘Imbed’ and ‘Embed’

To recap, we learned that both words mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably. They’re simply alternative spellings of the same word that mean to make something an important part of, to put inside of, to prepare, and to insert (a media file, graphic, video, or audio clip) into a computer document (such as a website or in an email).

If you ever forget what they mean or how to use them in a sentence, you can always come back here and refresh your memory. We’ve got a whole library of content dedicated to explaining confusing words and phrases in the English language. Go check it out whenever you need to.