: a device usually of metal attached to a ship or boat by a cable and cast overboard to hold it in a particular place by means of a fluke that digs into the bottom
Noun
The ship dropped anchor in a secluded harbor.
He described his wife as the emotional anchor of his life.
a local bank that has been the financial anchor of the community Verb
They anchored the ship in the bay.
The ship anchored in the bay.
a star quarterback who has anchored the team's offense for many years
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The news anchor also chooses books for Read With Jenna Jr., a club for young readers.—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 22 June 2024 This lightweight accessory features chic stripes and little anchors, adding a modern twist to your coastal-chic look.—Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2024
Verb
Seroka, 59, met twice with President Biden, ultimately helping forge a solution that helped draw down the dozens of ships anchored outside the port, a logjam that only exacerbated air quality woes at California’s single largest source of pollution.—Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2024 Lionsgate operates a growing portfolio of more than two dozen channels worldwide, anchored by MovieSphere, the only global premium movie channel offered by a major studio and the first FAST channel to be ranked by Nielsen.—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for anchor
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anchor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English ancre, from Old English ancor, from Latin anchora, from Greek ankyra; akin to Old English anga hook — more at angle
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
: a device usually of metal that is attached to a boat or ship by a cable and that when thrown overboard digs into the earth and holds the boat or ship in place
2
: something that serves to hold an object firmly or that gives a feeling of stability
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