debarkation

Meaning

1. 1noununcountableformal

   The act of getting off a ship, aircraft or other vehicle, or of being unloaded from one.

   Grammar: Often used with of: the debarkation of passengers.

   Patterns

   • the debarkation of someone
   • debarkation from something

   Debarkation began as soon as the ship reached the harbor.

   The captain supervised the debarkation of the troops.

   Passengers waited patiently during the slow debarkation.

Common combinations

debarkation point

The debarkation point was a quiet pier outside the city.

debarkation of passengers

The debarkation of passengers took over an hour.

debarkation of troops

The debarkation of troops was well organized.

port of debarkation

The port of debarkation was Naples.

orderly debarkation

Crew members ensured an orderly debarkation.

Synonyms and how they differ

disembarkation

Disembarkation is the more common form of the same word and is used in nearly all contexts, whereas debarkation is rarer and often military.

landing

Landing is plainer and can mean touching down as well as getting off, so it is less specific.

unloading

Unloading covers removing cargo as well as people, while debarkation is about people leaving.

deplaning

Deplaning is an American term specific to getting off an aircraft.

Opposites

Word family

debark verb

to leave a ship or aircraft

embark verb

to get on a ship or aircraft

embarkation noun

the act of boarding a vehicle

disembark verb

to leave a ship, plane or train

Commonly confused: debarkation or embarkation?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “debarkation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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