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
• am anchoring
  progressive
• are 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

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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

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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

See Examples For:

anchor anchors anchored anchoring

Every major index is down, and Nvidia is the anchor.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026

The service also offers shows or channels from such personalities as Trevor Noah, Kevin Hart, Stephen A. Smith, and former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026

Monetary policy often turns on how the chairman builds consensus by steering the committee’s center, and chairs have historically relied on lieutenants they helped pick to anchor it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026

He also doesn’t need to be wrapped in bubble wrap, but ideally he’d ramp up for the anchor leg instead of sprinting for the full marathon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026

But at night a storm rolled in, and while the novelty of a pitching boat at anchor entertained some of the children, Ginny and even the Warden grew nervous.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Outdoors, a swimming pool anchors the backyard, surrounded by mature trees and multiple areas for lounging, dining, and hosting guests.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

The lesson Holmes is referencing is the couple’s big relationship reveal, which happened while they were both anchors on “GMA3” and married to other people.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

Three large stone anchors were found, as well as more than 30 ceramic storage pots, called amphorae.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The former “Good Morning America” anchors tied the knot in a private Arkansas ceremony back in September.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

That the sea anchors, miraculously, were not lost—they continued to tug at the lifeboat faith­fully—was a consolation that had no effect.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Ongoing litigation includes lawsuits from independent music publishers Round Hill Music and Reservoir and major labels Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment — all anchored around copyright.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026

It added that the ship "is currently anchored in Singapore port waters".

From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026

Many Israelis want to see their country more firmly anchored in liberal and secular values.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Mark Zuckerberg’s company is raising $37.5 billion in equity as a first step in its broader share-issuance plan, anchored by investments from AI-chip leaders Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

No sooner were they anchored than the ship hailed them, and the master, Captain Riddle, came aboard.

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

When the building wraps around the shuttle itself it reads as a gleaming, cone-shaped beacon, visible from far away; tracing the shuttle’s dimensions and anchoring the museum in Expo Park.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

Mr. Potter’s “Souls Harbor,” which blends gorgeously harmonized phrases, also highlights Mr. Holland’s skills at anchoring a band, whether with skittering figures, conventional “walking” or by digging into a single low tone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

"We used structural studies and biophysical measurements to determine that TCIP3 acts as a kind of molecular glue, anchoring these proteins together," Gourisankar said.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

World Trade Center downtown into a 512-unit complex anchoring a campaign to build 4,000 affordable apartments across L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

Had he been more clever, anchoring his skiff in the water, we might not have heard him.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

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