sea anchor

noun

plural sea anchors
: a drag (see drag entry 2 sense 4a) typically made of canvas that is thrown overboard to slow the drifting of a ship or seaplane and to keep its bow or nose to the wind

Examples of sea anchor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Such practices act as sea anchors to innovation and the results shouldn’t be blamed on the FDA but rather on the lack of internal risk tolerance. Patrick Skerrett, STAT, 3 Aug. 2024 But it will be held down by a long fin below the surface that serves as a sea anchor. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2023 If they weren’t cut, the chutes would act as a sea anchor, drawing the crew down and drowning them. oregonlive.com, 15 July 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sea anchor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sea anchor was in 1769

Dictionary Entries Near sea anchor

Cite this Entry

“Sea anchor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20anchor. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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