mooring

noun moor·ing \ -iŋ \

Definition of mooring

1 :an act of making fast a boat or aircraft with lines or anchors

2 a :a place where or an object to which something (such as a craft) can be moored

b :a device (such as a line or chain) by which an object is secured in place

3 :an established practice or stabilizing influence :anchorage 2 —usually used in plural

See mooring defined for English-language learners

See mooring defined for kids

Examples of mooring in a Sentence

We found a temporary mooring in the harbor.
The wind was strong enough to tear the boat from its moorings.

Recent Examples of mooring from the Web

A few miles past the checkpoint, boats were flung scatter-shot, one mooring in a gas station parking lot.

— USA TODAY, "Harvey 2017: Coastal Texas survivors ponder future, close calls," 28 Aug. 2017
The company this week worked to stabilize the structure with additional chains, lines and mooring points.

— lynda v. mapes, The Seattle Times, "Wild-salmon advocates file notice of intent to sue over farmed fish escape," 26 Aug. 2017
Atop it, moving slowly toward us, were garlands of orange and red and gold seaweed that had been ripped from its mooring and taken for a ride on the tide.

— megan bush moody, Alaska Dispatch News, "Garlands of seaweed, ferried to shore at Tenakee Springs," 19 Aug. 2017
Mooring carefully differentiates them, helped by Dickey’s sharp script.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Amish Project review," 11 Aug. 2017
Other boats, like the Saint Joseph, can break off their moorings and float downstream, presenting a danger for people and property on the river.

— jacob sweet, sacbee, "An abandoned ship barrels down the Sacramento River. Who is responsible?," 5 Aug. 2017
Their ship filled with water, snapped its mooring lines and sank, drowning three.

— chris mcnamara, chicagotribune.com, "A deep dive into Michigan's eerie, beautiful Shipwreck Coast," 18 July 2017
Rumi scholars, the piece explained, often noted that modern interest in Rumi and his spiritual ideas tended to gloss over the Islamic moorings of his philosophy.

— olivia b. waxman, Time, "Beyoncé and Jay-Z Named Their Child Rumi. Here's What to Know About the History Behind the Name," 15 July 2017
A 90-minute bus ride through the countryside took us to our mooring along the Danube.

— jane wooldridge, miamiherald, "The Danube dozen: How our bagel group sailed through eastern Europe without losing our T-shirts," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mooring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of mooring

15th century

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

MOORING Defined for English Language Learners

mooring

noun

Definition of mooring for English Language Learners

: a place where a boat or ship can be anchored or moored
moorings : the anchors, ropes, and cables that are used to hold a boat or ship in place

MOORING Defined for Kids

mooring

noun moor·ing \ ˈmu̇r-iŋ \

Definition of mooring for Students

1 :a place where a boat can be fastened so it will not float away

2 :a chain or line used to hold a boat in place

Learn More about mooring

See words that rhyme with mooring Spanish Central: Translation of mooring Nglish: Translation of mooring for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mooring for Arabic speakers

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mooring

Definition of mooring

Examples of mooring in a Sentence

Recent Examples of mooring from the Web

First Known Use of mooring

Other Nautical Terms

MOORING Defined for English Language Learners

mooring

Definition of mooring for English Language Learners

MOORING Defined for Kids

mooring

Definition of mooring for Students

Learn More about mooring

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Examples of mooring in a Sentence

Recent Examples of mooring from the Web

First Known Use of mooring

Other Nautical Terms

MOORING Defined for English Language Learners

mooring

Definition of mooring for English Language Learners

MOORING Defined for Kids

mooring

Definition of mooring for Students

Learn More about mooring

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