1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

harborage

noun

ˈhär-bə-rij How to pronounce harborage (audio)
Definition of harboragenext
1
as in anchorage
a part of a body of water protected and deep enough to be a place of safety for ships the city boasts one of the best deepwater harborages on the Atlantic coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in refuge
something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger the only harborage from the storm was a lone pine tree, which looked like it could get hit by lightning any minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of harborage Heavy thatch layers also keep damaging insects protected from moisture, creating a safe harborage area. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026 Regularly clean debris in gutters that provide moisture and harborage. — Chandra Fleming, Detroit Free Press, 24 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harborage
  1. anchorage
  2. refuge
  3. harbor
  4. shelter
  5. port
  6. sanctuary
  7. retreat
Noun
  • Its five-peptide complex targets visible density and anchorage, while Cécred’s patent-pending Bioactive Keratin Ferment is designed to visibly strengthen hair.
    — Camila Quimper, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Separately, state television reported that another Iranian tanker was attacked in Kharg Island anchorage area.
    — Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of anchorage
Noun
  • A day will surely dawn when those who sought refuge in the long shadow of American bullying—believing that mimicking the language of the mighty could shield them from the claws of power—will stand bare before the truth.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Bring your binoculars, and see for yourself at these eight wildlife preserves and refuges.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of refuge
Noun
  • By 1869, New York had taken to decorating ships in the harbor with Italian and American flags, in addition to hosting a carnival and parade.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Navatek expected to have offices in more than a dozen states by the end of the following year, including a new 15,000-square-foot facility in the Portland, Maine, harbor.
    — William Turton, ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of harbor
Noun
  • Um Mohammad Adas, whose relatives were among those killed Wednesday, said the fallen building had become a shelter of last resort.
    — Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
  • When The Associated Press visited Sunday, Tigrino cautiously emerged from his shelter, sniffed the air and paced around for a few minutes before slipping back into the foliage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of shelter
Noun
  • Their ancestors had entered the United States through Southern ports, especially New Orleans and Galveston, which gave them a different political and cultural orientation from those who had entered through the East, and above all through New York.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Such Orcan drones have already been used to attack Ukrainian ports and ships.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of port
Noun
  • Enter the church parking lot along Queens Road, just south of the sanctuary.
    — Matt Leclercq, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In the full-beam owner’s suite, large windows fill the private sanctuary with light.
    — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sanctuary
Noun
  • Rooms The 275 rooms here are a calm and cool retreat from Miami’s loud and frenetic downtown.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • War, sanctions and severe economic pressure may have pushed compulsory hijab wearing down the government’s list of priorities, but a temporary retreat in enforcement is not the same thing as recognition of a right.
    — Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of retreat

Browse Nearby Words

harbor
harborage
harborages
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Harborage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harborage. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tactile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All