would have embarked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have embarked" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a hypothetical situation in the past, indicating that an action was intended or expected to happen but did not occur. Example: "If the weather had been better, we would have embarked on our journey earlier."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

A friend, himself no ally to racism, God knows, wrote after seeing "Lincoln" that the real question is "whether he would have embarked on the Civil War had he known that its toll would have been so unfathomably great".

The New Yorker

It would have embarked on unilateral nuclear disarmament; it would have withdrawn from the EEC; it would have abolished the House of Lords; it would have renationalised anything that had passed into private hands, perhaps adding the pubs of Manchester to the pubs of Carlisle, and going on to acquire Sainsbury's, Dolcis, the Daily Mirror, Knight Frank & Rutley and the Midland Bank.

The Guardian

"I would have embarked on a campaign to educate the public about how stimulus money affects the state budget," Mr. Paterson — or, undoubtedly, someone who works for him — wrote in an e-mail message, "so that all New Yorkers would understand how we were able to keep state spending flat when it appeared that there was a substantial increase due to the addition of federal stimulus dollars".

The New York Times

Allen & Rahman, 1985 Mian, 1994b Allen & Rahman, 1985 Although 87% of entrepreneurs would have embarked on their enterprise, they agree on the usefulness of physical services, advertising and marketing, and risk management, insurance, and government grants that are available in an incubator.

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

In Mirzoeff's first treatment, Betjeman would have embarked on a journey around Britain studying fine cathedrals, churches and their congregations.

Wikipedia

It's debatable whether Cohen would have embarked on a music career had his literary career taken off.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

He claimed in 1992 he did not initially think anyone would believe the allegations, and that he would not have "embarked" on a career of child abuse just as a new relationship with his current wife – Mia Farrow's adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn – was just beginning.

The Guardian - Film

If they realised they would have to stabilise markets, avoid cascading bankruptcies and print money to subsidise governments, surely they would never have embarked on the folly of creating a single currency before they had a single country.

The Guardian - Books

A more populist leader would never have embarked on an emissions trading scheme in advance of other countries, a more Machiavellian one would have manoeuvred his legislation to defeat in the Senate at the joint hands of the Greens and the Liberals.

The Guardian - Opinion

"We obviously expected to find something or we wouldn't have embarked on the study.

The New York Times

"We would not have embarked on this process if it was just about a short-term fix.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have embarked" to clearly indicate a past intention that did not materialize, adding context to show the hypothetical outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "would have embarked" when describing a present or future action. It is strictly for hypothetical past scenarios.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have embarked" functions as a conditional perfect construction. It expresses a hypothetical action that could have occurred in the past, contingent on a specific condition. Ludwig provides examples illustrating its usage in various contexts, such as hypothetical scenarios and unrealized intentions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "would have embarked" is a grammatically correct and commonly used conditional perfect construction. Ludwig AI confirms this, indicating its appropriateness for expressing hypothetical past actions that did not occur. Primarily found in News & Media and Science, it serves to convey regret, speculation, or counterfactual scenarios. Remember to reserve it strictly for past situations and avoid using it for present or future actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have started

A more general term for beginning an activity or journey.

would have begun

Similar to 'would have started', but slightly more formal.

would have undertaken

Suggests a formal commitment to a task or endeavor.

would have set out

Emphasizes the beginning of a journey or task with a specific intention.

would have commenced

Emphasizes a formal beginning or the start of a process.

would have proceeded

Highlights the continuation or advancement of an action or plan.

would have launched

Implies a more deliberate and public beginning, often for a project or campaign.

would have pursued

Indicates following a course of action or striving towards a goal.

would have initiated

Focuses more on the beginning or starting point of an action or project.

would have ventured

Suggests a bold or risky undertaking.

FAQs

How can I use "would have embarked" in a sentence?

Use "would have embarked" to describe a past action that was intended but did not happen. For example, "If the funding had been approved, the company "would have embarked" on the new project".

What are some alternatives to "would have embarked"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "would have started", "would have begun", or "would have undertaken".

Is it correct to say "would of embarked" instead of "would have embarked"?

No, "would of embarked" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is always "would have embarked". "Would've" is a contraction of "would have" but "would of" is never correct.

What is the difference between "would have embarked" and "had embarked"?

"Would have embarked" describes a hypothetical past action, while "had embarked" describes an action that actually happened in the past. For example, "If they had the resources, they "would have embarked" on the journey" (hypothetical), versus "They had embarked on the journey before I arrived" (actual past action).