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• anchorage
  anchorage

  noun

  that portion of a harbor or area outside a harbor suitable for anchoring or in which ships are permitted to anchor.
• Anchorage
  Anchorage

  noun

  a seaport in S Alaska: earthquake 1964.

anchorage

¹ American  

[ang-ker-ij] / ˈæŋ kər ɪdʒ /

noun

• anchorages
  plural

1. that portion of a harbor or area outside a harbor suitable for anchoring or in which ships are permitted to anchor.

2. a charge for occupying such an area.

3. the act of anchoring or the state of being anchored.

4. that to which anything is fastened.

5. a means of anchoring or making fast.

6. something that can be relied on.

   The Bible is her anchorage.

7. (in a suspension bridge) a massive masonry or concrete construction securing a cable at each end.

8. Dentistry.

   1. an abutment.

   2. the locking in of a tooth filling by means of an undercut.

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Anchorage ² American  

[ang-ker-ij] / ˈæŋ kər ɪdʒ /

noun

1. a seaport in S Alaska: earthquake 1964.

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Anchorage ¹ British  

/ ˈæŋkərɪdʒ /

noun

1. the largest city in Alaska, a port in the south, at the head of Cook Inlet. Pop: 270 951 (2003 est)

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anchorage ² British  

/ ˈæŋkərɪdʒ /

noun

1. the cell or retreat of an anchorite

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anchorage ³ British  

/ ˈæŋkərɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act of anchoring

2. any place where a vessel is anchored

3. a place designated for vessels to anchor

4. a fee imposed for anchoring

5. anything used as an anchor

6. a source of security or strength

7. something that supplies a secure hold for something else

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Anchorage Cultural  

1. City in south-central Alaska; largest city in the state.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• anchorages
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of anchorage

First recorded in 1400–50, anchorage is from the late Middle English word ankerage. See anchor, -age

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Explanation

A place in the ocean where ships can lower their anchors and stay a while is called an anchorage. A large cruise ship in a small port will often wait at an anchorage while passengers disembark into smaller boats. An anchorage is similar to a mooring, a place to park your boat. But moorings are close to shore and allow you to tie up your boat. For larger vessels, an anchorage allows them to toss a heavy anchor over the side in deep water. Back in the days of enormous sailing ships, an anchorage was also a place to pause and wait for the wind to change. You can also use this maritime term to mean "the act of condition of anchoring" or "a fee for anchoring."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

anchorage Anchorage anchorages

Another Singapore-flagged container vessel, GFS Giselle, sustained hull damage after being hit by a projectile on Wednesday but was able to reach a safe anchorage with all 22 crew, it added.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The agency also confirmed a drone attack on a tanker near Oman’s Sohar anchorage Sunday, which left two Indian crew members missing, according to Indian authorities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The vessel was to be moved to an anchorage off the south coast of England and monitored, it added.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

A week after the tempest, the anchorage of the Acapulco Yacht Club still looked like it had suffered intense bombardment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2023

When they were still well out from shore, a pilot boat came to meet the Henry, and the pilot conducted them to anchorage a mile off Bourbon.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

“They’re the largest builder of icebreakers and ice-class vessels in the world,” Dans said at an event in Anchorage, Alaska, in April.

From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026

"The so-called Anchorage compromise is firmly dead," Powell said.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

A third Dan Sullivan, former mayor of Anchorage, has thrown his support behind the senator.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

I am considering moving out of California in retirement, potentially to Anchorage, Alaska, or El Paso, Texas.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Gallien, a union electrician, was on his way to Anchorage, 240 miles beyond Denali on the George Parks Highway; he told Alex he’d drop him off wherever he wanted.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Regardless, last week, the Danish government said it would intensify environmental inspections of ships at Skagen Red, one of Scandinavia’s busiest anchorages at the northern tip of Denmark.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2025

China's bunkering hub Ningbo-Zhoushan in the eastern province of Zhejiang has temporarily suspended discharging and loading oil, while tankers are ordered to stay at anchorages as typhoon Muifa is expected to land later on Wednesday.

From Reuters ● Sep. 14, 2022

Laird said he has 42 anchorages around the region to choose from but only 12 of them are suitable for the largest ships.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 24, 2021

The street once led to Pool Beag, or little pool, among the deepest anchorages in Dublin Harbor.

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2018

Two dozen coves and inlets, each with its pleasant muddle of sailboats and summer homes, ran the circumference of San Piedro, an endless series of pristine anchorages.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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