: 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
The pod will also tell the story of Edwards, who last year pled guilty to making indecent images of children having for decades been one of the BBC’s lead anchors.—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2025 What Brands Can Learn For luxury and lifestyle brands outside of hospitality, the lessons are clear:
Create emotional anchors.—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
Or succession pipelines still anchored in tenure over future skills.—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 An oversized mirror or a unique piece of art can instantly draw in the eye and anchor the entire mantel moment.—Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 16 Apr. 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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