: 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
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
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Noun
Davies remained the band's anchor in the decades between, releasing four albums subsequent to Hodgson's exit and continuing to perform the band's music live in a variety of settings.—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025 Chief global affairs anchor Martha Raddatz is on the scene in Ukraine for an exclusive interview with President Zelenskyy.—ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
The steel-rod reinforcement does double duty keeping joints tight and gap free and adding stability at each corner as well as anchoring the home to the ground.—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025 The production is planning to anchor a 100-foot-barge in Brooklyn Monday for a launch event, in addition to guerilla art installations throughout the week.—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anchor
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English ancre, from Old English ancor, from Latin anchora, from Greek ankyra; akin to Old English anga hook — more at angle
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 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
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