anchor

American  

[ang-ker] / ˈæŋ kər /

noun

anchors plural

1. any of various devices dropped by a chain, cable, or rope to the bottom of a body of water for preventing or restricting the motion of a vessel or other floating object, typically having broad, hooklike arms that bury themselves in the bottom to provide a firm hold.

2. any similar device for holding fast or checking motion.

   an anchor of stones.

3. any device for securing a suspension or cantilever bridge at either end.

4. any of various devices, as a metal tie, for binding one part of a structure to another.

5. a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability, or security; mainstay.

   Hope was his only anchor.

6. Radio and Television. Also a person who is the main broadcaster on a program of news, sports, etc., and who usually also serves as coordinator of all participating broadcasters during the program; anchorman or anchorwoman; anchorperson.

7. Television. a program that attracts many viewers who are likely to stay tuned to the network for the programs that follow.

8. Also called anchor store.  a well-known store, especially a department store, that attracts customers to the shopping center in which it is located.

9. Slang. automotive brakes.

10. Military. a key position in defense lines.

11. Sports. Also

    1. the person on a team, especially a relay team, who competes last.

    2. the person farthest to the rear on a tug-of-war team.

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verb (used with object)

anchors, present (3rd person singular) anchored, past participle, past anchoring present participle

1. to hold fast by an anchor.

2. to fix or fasten; affix firmly.

   The button was anchored to the cloth with heavy thread.

3. to act or serve as an anchor for.

   He anchored the evening news.

verb (used without object)

anchors, present (3rd person singular) anchored, past participle, past anchoring present participle

1. to drop anchor; lie or ride at anchor.

   The ship anchored at dawn.

2. to keep hold or be firmly fixed.

   The insect anchored fast to its prey.

3. Sports, Radio and Television. to act or serve as an anchor.

idioms

1. drop anchor, to anchor a vessel.

   They dropped anchor in a bay to escape the storm.

2. drag anchor, (of a vessel) to move with a current or wind because an anchor has failed to hold.

3. weigh anchor, to raise the anchor.

   We will weigh anchor at dawn.

4. at anchor, held in place by an anchor.

   The luxury liner is at anchor in the harbor.

anchor British  

/ ˈæŋkə /

noun

1. any of several devices, usually of steel, attached to a vessel by a cable and dropped overboard so as to grip the bottom and restrict the vessel's movement

2. an object used to hold something else firmly in place

   the rock provided an anchor for the rope

3. a source of stability or security

   religion was his anchor

4. 1. a metal cramp, bolt, or similar fitting, esp one used to make a connection to masonry

   2. ( as modifier )

      anchor bolt

      anchor plate

5. 1. the rear person in a tug-of-war team

   2. short for anchorman anchorwoman

6. (of a vessel) anchored

7. to anchor a vessel

8. See drag

9. to be anchored

10. to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised in preparation for departure

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verb

1. to use an anchor to hold (a vessel) in one place

2. to fasten or be fastened securely; fix or become fixed firmly

3. (tr) radio television to act as an anchorman on

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reanchor
  verb
• anchorable
  adjective
• anchorless
  adjective
• anchorlike
  adjective
• unanchored
  adjective
• well-anchored
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• anchors
  plural

Participles

• anchoring
  present
• anchored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• anchor
  simple
• anchors
  simple
• have anchored
  perfect
• has anchored
  perfect
• are anchoring
  progressive
• am anchoring
  progressive
• is anchoring
  progressive
• have been anchoring
  perfect progressive
• has been anchoring
  perfect progressive

Past

• anchored
  simple
• had anchored
  perfect
• was anchoring
  progressive
• were anchoring
  progressive
• had been anchoring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will anchor
  simple
• will have anchored
  perfect
• will be anchoring
  progressive
• will have been anchoring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of anchor

First recorded before 900; Middle English anker, ancre, Old English ancor, ancer, ancra (compare Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, Middle Low German anker ), from Latin anc(h)ora, from Greek ánkȳra

Explanation

On a boat, an anchor is a heavy object attached to a rope. You toss it overboard, it sinks to the bottom, and your vessel doesn't move. Anchor has the sense of what holds something in place. When you anchor a bookshelf to the wall, you affix it to the wall so it won't come down. The anchor of a relay race is the last person to run. It's their job to hold the team's lead. And on televised news, the anchor is the person who is front and center delivering the current events, the one who draws viewers to the news on that particular station.

Example Sentences

Infection control teams sounded the alarm at the Baird Family Hospital and The Anchor Centre cancer unit after construction materials were allowed to get wet, BBC Scotland News has learned.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Anchor Gayle King’s contract is up early next year and the network might look for a cheaper alternative to her roughly $15 million annual salary, a person familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the vote meant "iconic" brands such as Anchor, Mainland and Kapiti were being sold off to the French firm.

From Barron's • Oct. 30, 2025

Anchor changes are disrupting one of the last true habits of traditional TV viewing.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2025

Watching people play video games at Aaron’s is an Anchor.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

Related Words

• attach
• dock
• fasten
• fix
• moor
• secure
• tie up