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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There were fires that needed putting out across the team and having Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in form has helped extinguish a number of them.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
He was suspended to begin the 1995 season for cocaine and admitted to having a substance abuse problem.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 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
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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
-
Jeff Bezos holding the device high.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
-
This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Something fishy is going on at restaurant across from the Boise Co-op — but not because that space is housing its third concept in two years.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Nov. 2025
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The camp in Tawila is already housing around half a million people, says Saraf, so expecting tens of thousands more requires planning to distribute sanitation, water, and basic educational services.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Democrats have used the government shutdown to call for protecting enhanced tax credits for purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
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These veggies appear to be most closely tied to protecting the brain, so try to eat them every day.—
Jennifer Klump,
Verywell Health,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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 15 Nov. 2025.
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