anchor

verb

anchored; anchoring ˈaŋ-k(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce anchor (audio)
Synonyms of anchornext

transitive verb

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
anchoring the evening news

intransitive verb

1
: to cast anchor
2
: to become fixed

Examples of anchor in a Sentence

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And after last year’s four-team 10-city barnstorming tour, the league will add two teams and anchor itself to locations in North Carolina, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah. Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 That said, Rush – especially with Nilles anchoring their sound – is nowhere near ready for that retirement home. Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 June 2026 Whole Foods Market, in the space emptied by Kohl’s last year, will anchor the 124,411-square-foot shopping center. Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026 The boat, which was anchored, capsized about five miles south of Little Palm Island in the Lower Keys, the Coast Guard said in a news release. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for anchor

Word History

Etymology
First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anchor was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anchor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anchor. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

anchor

1 of 2 noun
an·​chor ˈaŋ-kər How to pronounce anchor (audio)
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 How to pronounce anchor (audio)
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

Medical Definition

anchor

transitive verb
an·​chor ˈaŋ-kər How to pronounce anchor (audio)
anchored; anchoring -k(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce anchor (audio)
: to relate psychologically to a point or frame of reference (as to a person, a situation, an object, or a conceptual scheme)

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