Meaning & use

anchor

noun·Everyday

A heavy metal device lowered from a ship to grip the seabed and keep the vessel in place.

See it in a sentence

The captain ordered the crew to drop anchor before the storm reached the harbor.

Her grandmother's steady advice was an anchor for her during the chaotic move.

A note on using this word

Anchor is frequently used figuratively for a person or thing that provides stability, and also works as a verb meaning to fix firmly in place.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A person who presents and coordinates a television or radio news broadcast.

The evening news anchor calmly reported the election results as they came in.

3. verb

To fix something firmly in one place or to secure a ship with an anchor.

Thick bolts anchor the bookshelf to the wall so it cannot tip over.

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