onboard ship

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phraseformal

   on or onto a ship; while traveling on a ship

   Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase: We spent three days onboard ship. It does not take an article before 'ship'.

   Patterns

   • be onboard ship
   • travel onboard ship
   • life onboard ship

   The sailors spent six months onboard ship without seeing land.

   Passengers can enjoy fine meals and entertainment onboard ship.

   She wrote a diary about her daily life onboard ship.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseformaltechnical

   relating to duties or conditions on a ship

   Grammar: Often used before a noun in compounds: onboard ship training, onboard ship safety.

   Patterns

   • onboard ship training
   • onboard ship safety
   • onboard ship experience

   New crew members must complete onboard ship safety training.

   His onboard ship experience helped him get a job with the ferry company.

Common combinations

life onboard ship

The documentary shows the daily life onboard ship.

onboard ship safety

All crew must follow onboard ship safety rules.

serve onboard ship

He served onboard ship for ten years in the navy.

onboard ship training

The cadets receive onboard ship training before their first voyage.

Synonyms and how they differ

on board

More common and can be used for ships, planes, trains and buses; it usually needs 'the' or a noun after it.

aboard

A single word meaning on or onto a ship or aircraft; it is slightly more formal than 'on board' but less fixed than 'onboard ship'.

Opposites

Word family

onboard adjective

Located on a ship, plane or train, or relating to equipment carried on a vehicle.

onboard adverb

Onto or on a ship, plane or train.

Commonly confused: onboard ship or on board?

Practice

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

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