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
Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
As someone who plans yacht charter trips for a living, here are some of my favorite places to drop anchor at every time of year.
—Geoffrey Ravoire, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Chu and cinematographer Alice Brooks, a longtime collaborator, also selected intentions to anchor each scene.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 24 Nov. 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
Defensive anchor Nick Bosa was lost to a torn ACL in September, while All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner suffered a season-ending fractured, dislocated ankle in October, and Kittle suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for five early games.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
As someone who plans yacht charter trips for a living, here are some of my favorite places to drop anchor at every time of year.
—Geoffrey Ravoire, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
Verb
The megalithic slabs that anchor the building differ in level by only a few centimetres.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Chu and cinematographer Alice Brooks, a longtime collaborator, also selected intentions to anchor each scene.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 24 Nov. 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 1 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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