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
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 harboring
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
The Kremlin denies harboring any such desire and accuses NATO of seeking conflict with Russia.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
But their double life gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret starts to steal their fans.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Apart from harboring specific opinions on what makes the best biscuit recipe, many Southerners are even particular about how to eat them.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Enceladus, a small moon harboring a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, has long been considered one of our solar system's best places to search for conditions suitable for extraterrestrial life – and perhaps, even life itself.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
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
The Kremlin denies harboring any such desire and accuses NATO of seeking conflict with Russia.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
But their double life gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret starts to steal their fans.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Apart from harboring specific opinions on what makes the best biscuit recipe, many Southerners are even particular about how to eat them.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Enceladus, a small moon harboring a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, has long been considered one of our solar system's best places to search for conditions suitable for extraterrestrial life – and perhaps, even life itself.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harboring
Verb
-
There is a specific kind of yearning involved in having a crush, one that feels intense, yet is for the most part harmless fun; still, as people grow older the frequency of such infatuations often decreases.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Fans will know instantly that this child grows up to be renowned composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and Linklater leans into that, having the pre-teenage Sondheim criticize Hart's writing.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Together, the two homes contain nine bedrooms and form a sprawling Ibizan retreat capable of comfortably accommodating lots of family and friends.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
23 Oct. 2025
-
New Balance has launched a new program aimed at accommodating consumers with disabilities, limb loss or foot size discrepancies.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Beaver Moon takes its name from early Native American tribes as well as American colonists, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, when beavers begin sheltering in their lodges after gathering enough food to last the winter.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Enduring hunger alongside heavy, unbelievable sounds of explosions, some of the relatives sheltering in our house decided to prepare their bags and head south.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of his innovations in the new space is Fresh Out of the Box, a shelf holding books that are newly unboxed without anyone knowing the contents.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
20 Oct. 2025
-
In a struggle that eventually leads to Jayson holding Maeve hostage outside, Grasso musters strength and shoots Jayson in the head, in a small act of vengeance for Lizzie.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Beneath the elevated structures lies the operational core of the winery, housing its fermentation and storage facilities.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The latter effort responds to the most acute aspect of California’s shortage — housing the nearly 35% of Californians who are living in poverty or near-poverty, mostly due to housing costs that are among the nation’s highest.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As drone warfare evolves, the service aims to field layered defenses capable of protecting maneuver units against everything from quadcopters to cruise missiles.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Patronis said the Democratic strategy is more about controlling the agenda than protecting benefits.—
Leonardo Feldman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The city's Department of Finance manages those revenue streams, which include the city’s sales, use and lodging taxes.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The visitors bureau receives most of its revenue from taxes on lodging places and restaurants, which totaled close to $19 million in 2024.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share