Illustration of anchor
- A yachtsman's
- 1 ring
- 2 stock
- 3 shank
- 4 bill
- 5 fluke
- 6 arm
- 7 throat
- 8 crown
- B fluke
- C grapnel
- D plow
- E mushroom
plural anchors
often attributive
1
: a device usually of metal attached to a ship or boat by a cable and cast overboard to hold it in a particular place by means of a fluke that digs into the bottom
2
: a reliable or principal support : mainstay
a quarterback who has been the anchor of the team's offense
3
: something that serves to hold an object firmly
a bolt-and-nut cable anchor
4
: an object shaped like a ship's anchor
5
: a broadcaster (as on a news program) who introduces reports by other broadcasters and usually reads the news : an anchorman or anchorwoman
a TV news anchor
6
: the member of a team (such as a relay team) that competes last
7
: a large business (such as a department store) that attracts customers and other businesses to a shopping center or mall
8
mountaineering
: a fixed object (such as a tree or a piton) to which a climber's rope is secured
anchored; anchoring
ˈaŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to hold in place in the water by an anchor
anchor a ship
2
: to secure firmly : fix
anchor a post in concrete
3
: to act or serve as an anchor for
… it is she who is anchoring the rebuilding campaign …—
Gray D. Boone
Gray D. Booneanchoring the evening news
Examples of anchor in a Sentence
Noun
The ship dropped anchor in a secluded harbor.
He described his wife as the emotional anchor of his life.
a local bank that has been the financial anchor of the community
Verb
They anchored the ship in the bay.
The ship anchored in the bay.
a star quarterback who has anchored the team's offense for many years
Recent Examples on the Web
Corina Vanek, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
These include fold-down aft bulwarks that enlarge the beach club area when at anchor (a feature first seen on the GTX 80) and a vertically sliding glass partition that separates the aft deck seating area from the interior bar and galley.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 July 2025
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 12 July 2025
To curate a flourishing cohabitation with intelligent machines we, humans, must be anchored in values that inspire ourselves and others.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for anchor
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Mesa Economic Development Director Jaye O’Donnell said Macerich, the owner of the mall but not all of the anchor stores, has expressed interest in adding new shopping and restaurants in and around the mall site.
—Corina Vanek, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
These include fold-down aft bulwarks that enlarge the beach club area when at anchor (a feature first seen on the GTX 80) and a vertically sliding glass partition that separates the aft deck seating area from the interior bar and galley.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 July 2025
Verb
Here, a stone fireplace anchors the family room, and light woods warm up the kitchen.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 12 July 2025
To curate a flourishing cohabitation with intelligent machines we, humans, must be anchored in values that inspire ourselves and others.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for anchor
Cite this Entry
“Anchor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anchor. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
anchor
1 of 2 noun
an·chor
ˈaŋ-kər
1
: a device usually of metal that is attached to a boat or ship by a cable and that when thrown overboard digs into the earth and holds the boat or ship in place
2
: something that serves to hold an object firmly or that gives a feeling of stability
the anchor of a bridge
3
anchor
2 of 2 verb
anchored; anchoring
-k(ə-)riŋ
1
: to hold in place by means of an anchor
anchor a ship
2
: to fasten to a firm foundation
anchor the cables of a bridge
3
: to drop anchor : become anchored
the boat anchored in the harbor
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