Illustration of anchor
- A yachtsman's
- 1 ring
- 2 stock
- 3 shank
- 4 bill
- 5 fluke
- 6 arm
- 7 throat
- 8 crown
- B fluke
- C grapnel
- D plow
- E mushroom
plural anchors
often attributive
1
: 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
2
: a reliable or principal support : mainstay
a quarterback who has been the anchor of the team's offense
3
: something that serves to hold an object firmly
a bolt-and-nut cable anchor
4
: an object shaped like a ship's anchor
5
: a broadcaster (as on a news program) who introduces reports by other broadcasters and usually reads the news : an anchorman or anchorwoman
a TV news anchor
6
: the member of a team (such as a relay team) that competes last
7
: a large business (such as a department store) that attracts customers and other businesses to a shopping center or mall
8
mountaineering
: a fixed object (such as a tree or a piton) to which a climber's rope is secured
see also at anchor
anchored; anchoring
ˈaŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to hold in place in the water by an anchor
anchor a ship
2
: to secure firmly : fix
anchor a post in concrete
3
: to act or serve as an anchor for
… it is she who is anchoring the rebuilding campaign …—
Gray D. Boone
Gray D. Booneanchoring the evening news
Examples of anchor in a Sentence
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
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Neither anchor is ideologically innocent.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Nulastin’s proprietary Elastaplex technology helps nurture the root so strands stay beautifully anchored.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anchor
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.
Noun
Lemon, a former CNN anchor who now is an independent journalist, was arrested in Los Angeles on January 30 and held until the next day.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Neither anchor is ideologically innocent.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Though neither Pari nor Hanna can escape the political reality of their home country, their story is infused with charm and anchored by their exuberant friendship.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Nulastin’s proprietary Elastaplex technology helps nurture the root so strands stay beautifully anchored.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anchor
Cite this Entry
“Anchor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anchor. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
anchor
1 of 2 noun
an·chor
ˈaŋ-kər
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
the anchor of a bridge
3
anchor
2 of 2 verb
anchored; anchoring
-k(ə-)riŋ
1
: to hold in place by means of an anchor
anchor a ship
2
: to fasten to a firm foundation
anchor the cables of a bridge
3
: to drop anchor : become anchored
the boat anchored in the harbor
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
