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
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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
The state said Hollis was wrong for harboring bitterness toward him.
—
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Washington and Hollywood have long had an awkward relationship, with players in each power center harboring insecurities and misunderstandings about the other as politics and entertainment have steadily merged into a single cultural force.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Prosecutors have dropped a felony charge against a Baltimore woman accused of harboring her nephew, who was missing for nearly six months, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Later this year, two spacecraft are scheduled for launch on missions to land somewhere near the rim of Shackleton Crater, an impact basin near the Moon’s south pole harboring an immense reservoir of water ice.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
Using the text as a base, this piece tells the story of an unlikely bond — a ship’s Captain harboring a stowaway accused of murder —through a mix of words, dance, music, sound, and art installation.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Islamabad was isolated by Washington following its role harboring Osama bin Laden, but Pakistan is now out of the wilderness.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
The strait is a significant trade artery for oil, harboring roughly 20 percent of the world’s supply of oil and natural gas.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
Christopher Kosakowski, United States, 2025 A circus clown celebrating his birthday alone receives a mysterious gift box harboring an antique zoetrope that spins his world into mayhem.
—William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Washington and Hollywood have long had an awkward relationship, with players in each power center harboring insecurities and misunderstandings about the other as politics and entertainment have steadily merged into a single cultural force.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Prosecutors have dropped a felony charge against a Baltimore woman accused of harboring her nephew, who was missing for nearly six months, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Later this year, two spacecraft are scheduled for launch on missions to land somewhere near the rim of Shackleton Crater, an impact basin near the Moon’s south pole harboring an immense reservoir of water ice.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
Using the text as a base, this piece tells the story of an unlikely bond — a ship’s Captain harboring a stowaway accused of murder —through a mix of words, dance, music, sound, and art installation.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Islamabad was isolated by Washington following its role harboring Osama bin Laden, but Pakistan is now out of the wilderness.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
The strait is a significant trade artery for oil, harboring roughly 20 percent of the world’s supply of oil and natural gas.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
Christopher Kosakowski, United States, 2025 A circus clown celebrating his birthday alone receives a mysterious gift box harboring an antique zoetrope that spins his world into mayhem.
—William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harboring
Verb
-
Turner lore suggested the college student was expelled from the Ivy League school for having a female student in his dormitory room.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Jaxon’s father, Albert Juarez, acknowledged having serious health problems himself and a list of prescription painkillers.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The choice of tailoring, constructed from the designer’s signature stretch-accommodating cady fabric, afforded the princess enough freedom of movement to get hands-on with the young children and families gathered in the nursery environments of the university’s early years education department.—
Daniel Rodgers,
Vogue,
7 May 2026
-
Even maternity scrubs weren’t very accommodating for pumping or ever-changing pregnant and postpartum bodies.—
Lisa Gutierrez
May 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Evelyn, a Filipina caregiver sheltering with her three children beneath the Central Bus Station, declined to give her last name out of fear of deportation.—
Theia Chatelle,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
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The union said the IDF then struck a building where the two reporters were sheltering two hours later.—
Frank Andrews,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stay open while holding practical boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
On the other side of the building, Ford City’s lone anchor store, JCPenney, is holding its going-out-of-business sale.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The lab is also housing other animals from the aquarium while renovation work continues on the main facility.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The proposal would require relocation of about 330 current residents in treatment programs while the four buildings housing those programs were being renovated — with no indication where they would be temporarily housed or for how long.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What truly mattered was protecting Britain’s trade with the European continent against French interference.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
That means fighting inflationary spending, protecting affordable energy, defending our borders, supporting farmers and ranchers, and expanding access to affordable healthcare, especially in rural communities.—
Kevin Fixler
May 3,
Idaho Statesman,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Eco effort The property has earned a 5 Green Key rating and 4 Green Key Meetings rating from Green Key Global, a hotel and lodging sustainability certification program that evaluates energy and water use, waste management, and greenhouse gas emissions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
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Those vessels were apparently Indian, with New Delhi lodging a complaint with Tehran.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For years, state regulators had asked the Sheriff’s Office to stop triple-bunking people, a practice the department acknowledged was dangerous.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harboring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harboring. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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