Synonyms of harbor

harbor 1 of 2

noun

ˈhär-bər 

1

as in port

a part of a body of water protected and deep enough to be a place of safety for ships

the tanker stayed in Boston harbor three days to undergo repairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• port
• anchorage
• dock
• bay
• cove
• haven
• marina
• lagoon
• roads
• harborage
• estuary
• basin
• channel
• canal
• inlet
• narrow
• roadstead
• mooring
• fjord
• seaport
• embayment
• sound
• moorage
• loch
• bight
• creek
• gulf
• strait
• arm
• home port
• firth
• lough
• containerport

2

as in refuge

something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger

seeking a harbor from the drenching rain, we unfortunately chose a bank where a robbery was taking place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuge
• shelter
• sanctuary
• retreat
• haven
• residence
• asylum
• harborage
• oasis
• sanctum
• port
• lodging
• anchorage
• abode
• bolt-hole
• dwelling
• mooring
• hideout
• housing
• fortress
• house
• rest
• quarters
• stronghold
• fort
• castle
• roof
• screen
• place
• cloister
• habitation
• domicile
• shed
• den
• closet
• lee
• cover
• diggings
• lair
• hideaway
• palisade
• lodgment
• pad
• redoubt
• covert
• windbreak
• hermitage
• fastness
• lean-to

harbor

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to have

to keep in one's mind or heart

he had long harbored a grudge against his old employer, who had high-handedly fired him without cause

Synonyms & Similar Words

• have
• hold
• retain
• cherish
• entertain
• cultivate
• bear
• keep
• carry
• hold on to
• maintain
• nurse
• hang on to
• treasure
• foster
• sustain
• preserve
• remember
• nurture
• support
• stick (to)
• hug
• cling (to)
• cleave (to)
• fixate (on or upon)
• brood (about or over)
• obsess (about or over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forget
• ignore
• overlook
• disregard
• drop
• deny
• refuse
• neglect
• reject
• decline
• scorn
• repudiate
• abandon
• give up
• renounce
• discard
• quit
• desert
• forsake
• part (with)
• disdain
• abjure
• erase
• throw out
• expunge

2

as in to house

to provide with living quarters or shelter

the woods in our suburb harbor deer, foxes, raccoons, and skunks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• house
• room
• accommodate
• shelter
• camp
• lodge
• roof
• board
• chamber
• bunk
• quarter
• bestow
• home
• encamp
• take in
• domicile
• stable
• shed
• bivouac
• put up
• billet
• secure
• tent
• roost
• bed (down)
• ensconce
• barrack

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• eject
• evict

3

as in to shelter

to be or provide a shelter for

the little cabin is harbored from the wind by a thick growth of pines

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shelter
• protect
• refuge
• house
• defend
• secure
• safeguard
• ward
• shield
• quarter
• place
• cover
• screen
• shade
• domicile
• shadow

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expose

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of harbor

Noun

An open bridge on top of the sail could accommodate a pilot during harbor movements. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026

There’s also limited appetite to block the view of harbor-front homes. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Verb

Old fruit can harbor pests and disease, or attract unwanted animals to your garden. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 2 Nov. 2026

But southeastern Wisconsin — specifically that cluster of rural communities along the Illinois line — has harbored the Beast of Bray Road since 1936. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026