1
as in having
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accommodating
to provide with living quarters or shelter
the woods in our suburb harbor deer, foxes, raccoons, and skunks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sheltering
to be or provide a shelter for
the little cabin is harbored from the wind by a thick growth of pines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harboring
Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson had said Tulane officials reported the monkeys were not infectious, despite initial reports by the truck’s occupants warning that the monkeys were dangerous and harboring various diseases.
—
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Bathroom Sink Another high-traffic room of your home is your bathroom, which is also prone to harboring a lot of bacteria.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2025
Their double life soon gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret begins stealing their fans.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
The roundup of Russians is particularly jarring because of our long-standing tradition of harboring Soviet dissidents and Jews.
—Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
In March, a 16-year-old who was reported missing from Vista Maria was found more than a month later in the home of a 62-year-old Dearborn Heights man who pleaded guilty to criminal charges that included harboring a juvenile.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Pakistan has long accused Kabul of harboring the Pakistani Taliban militant group (known as the TTP), which its Afghan namesake denies.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
The Moscow meeting was remarkable given that Russia is harboring Syria’s former president, Bashar al-Assad, whose government was overthrown by rebels led by al-Sharaa.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Kabul wants to hedge against its deteriorating relationship with its former patron Islamabad, which accuses the Taliban of harboring a separate but allied group that has carried out deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
—Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Bathroom Sink Another high-traffic room of your home is your bathroom, which is also prone to harboring a lot of bacteria.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2025
Their double life soon gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret begins stealing their fans.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
The roundup of Russians is particularly jarring because of our long-standing tradition of harboring Soviet dissidents and Jews.
—Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
In March, a 16-year-old who was reported missing from Vista Maria was found more than a month later in the home of a 62-year-old Dearborn Heights man who pleaded guilty to criminal charges that included harboring a juvenile.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Pakistan has long accused Kabul of harboring the Pakistani Taliban militant group (known as the TTP), which its Afghan namesake denies.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
The Moscow meeting was remarkable given that Russia is harboring Syria’s former president, Bashar al-Assad, whose government was overthrown by rebels led by al-Sharaa.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Kabul wants to hedge against its deteriorating relationship with its former patron Islamabad, which accuses the Taliban of harboring a separate but allied group that has carried out deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
—Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harboring
Verb
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Fast and Free High-rise Tight 25-inch 5-pocket There’s simply no such thing as having too many pockets, as exhibited by these fan-favorite five-pocket leggings, which are currently $69.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
-
However, after having the scan, Bishop had the uneasy sense that something wasn’t right.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Her mom is on her side, but some aunts are calling her a bridezilla for not accommodating family.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Hanai’s skeptical but accommodating wife, Sachiko (Shinobu Terajima), agrees to essentially adopt Kikuo and help train him.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The incident marks the deadliest crash in UPS Airlines history and the blast created a towering plume of smoke that was visible for miles and resulted in residents sheltering in place.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
5 Nov. 2025
-
In addition to the pressures of working from home, making sure their kids stayed on top of their online schoolwork, sheltering in place and staying healthy, Katie was unknowingly going through perimenopause.—
Mara Santilli,
Flow Space,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
So, for me, that was the creation of the Anti-American Speech Committee, which is a government panel essentially designed to prosecute artists for holding views or creating work that resists basically the fascist state that has overtaken the American government.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Witnesses shared video footage of an agent holding a man down and repeatedly hitting him in the head.—
NPR,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The charter revisions will lead to more housing and more types of housing in low-density neighborhoods, which is housing the city needs.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The facility was upgraded to a maximum-security prison and began housing some of the state's most hardened criminals, including those transferred from other facilities.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Viagen’s expertise in cryopreservation – reviving frozen genetic material for cloning – is vital to protecting and expanding endangered species, said Matt James, Colossal’s chief animal officer, in a news release announcing the acquisition.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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The wood-free Hyper Core composite walls are finished in automotive grade aluminum outer panels framed out via 11-gauge aluminum corner rails, protecting the trailer from low branches and flying debris.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Le Massif offers a wide range of lodging options.—
Outside,
Outside,
4 Nov. 2025
-
There is also a free shuttle that operates on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer months, with stops at shops, restaurants, and lodging throughout town.—
Molly Allen,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The story of the two stars rooming together made headlines back in 2013 when the reality star appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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Koster notched six points for the Heartlanders in seven playoff games while rooming with former Gophers teammate Jonny Sorenson.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harboring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harboring. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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