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
see also at anchor
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
Rima Parikh, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
The ritual becomes a daily anchor — something predictable, comforting, and theirs alone.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2025
Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2025
Finally, the wavy jet stream became locked in place by persistent high-pressure systems, anchoring storm tracks over the same regions.
—Shuang-Ye Wu, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anchor
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Yang, coming right off of Wicked For Good, has been coming into his own as an anchor on the show.
—Rima Parikh, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
The ritual becomes a daily anchor — something predictable, comforting, and theirs alone.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2025
Verb
What began as a small, family-run leather-goods business in 1941 has since grown into a household name with billion-dollar ambitions—anchored by a booming handbag business that includes the Brooklyn, the Empire, and the Tabby.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2025
Finally, the wavy jet stream became locked in place by persistent high-pressure systems, anchoring storm tracks over the same regions.
—Shuang-Ye Wu, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 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 16 Dec. 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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