Meaning & use
harboring
Last updated
Keeping a thought or feeling in one's mind secretly, or giving shelter or refuge to a person or thing.
See it in a sentence
She admitted to harboring doubts about the plan from the very start.
The family was accused of harboring a fugitive in their basement.
A note on using this word
Harboring can apply equally to hidden emotions ("harboring resentment") and to physically sheltering people, illustrating how the maritime sense of a safe harbor extended metaphorically.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “harboring”, then compare your use with the examples above.