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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 cell or retreat of an anchorite

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anchorage ² 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 ³ 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 Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• anchorages
  plural

Etymology

Origin of anchorage

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

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

The ship, which had 23 crew members, was "being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage point for further checks", the prefecture said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026

“Whenever the situation escalates, they reiterate the warning,” said a seafarer surnamed Wang whose vessel—carrying liquefied natural gas—has been stuck at an anchorage northwest of Dubai for four weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 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

BW Lesmes was successfully re-floated at 03:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday and would undergo further inspections at Suez anchorage.

From Reuters ● Aug. 23, 2023

Past the sprawl of the camp, the anchorage was crowded with ships.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

"The spirit of Anchorage has dissipated," said Russian political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov -- close to the ruling elite -- in August.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

The Marine was serving on the transport dock ship USS Anchorage and went missing during a training operation involving the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026

Several all-time records were broken, including a reading of 90 degrees Fahrenheit at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026

The venture-capital investor and co-founder of crypto bank Anchorage Digital has stuck to a strategy of selling 20% of his holdings at the IPO, then gradually selling down another 60% over time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

A day after the fire he committed himself to the Anchorage Psychiatric Institute but left after two weeks, convinced there was a conspiracy afoot to put him away permanently.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Note: Weight of the Golden Gate Bridge doesn’t include the concrete anchorages.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 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