mooring

noun

moor·​ing ˈmu̇r-iŋ 

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 sense 2

—usually used in plural

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 on the Web

An ice flood in the Chicago River tore ships from moorings and hurled them, along with blocks of ice, against bridges. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026

As for the people that live on boats, CBS News Miami was told many of them went to a mooring field. —Steve Maugeri march 2, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026

Kharg Island has numerous loading berths, jetties, remote mooring points and tens of millions of barrels of crude storage capacity. —Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026

In the gray dawn, rows of bicycles bobbed at their moorings, as though lifted by ghostly hands. —Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mooring

• curing
• during
• luring
• touring
• alluring
• assuring
• contouring
• enduring
• ensuring
• insuring
• manuring
• maturing

Kids Definition

mooring

noun

moor·​ing ˈmu̇(ə)r-iŋ 

1

: a place or object to which a boat or aircraft can be fastened

2

: a device or line by which a boat or aircraft is moored