harbor
Americannoun
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harbors
plural
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a part of a body of water along the shore deep enough for anchoring a ship and so situated with respect to coastal features, whether natural or artificial, as to provide protection from winds, waves, and currents.
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such a body of water having docks or port facilities.
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any place of shelter or refuge.
The old inn was a harbor for tired travelers.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
Synonym Usage
Harbor, haven, port indicate a shelter for ships. A harbor may be natural or artificially constructed or improved: a fine harbor on the eastern coast. A haven is usually a natural harbor that can be utilized by ships as a place of safety; the word is common in literary use: a haven in time of storm; a haven of refuge. A port is a harbor viewed especially in its commercial relations, though it is frequently applied in the meaning of harbor or haven also: a thriving port; any old port in a storm. See cherish.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of harbor
before 1150; Middle English herber ( we ), herberge, Old English herebeorg lodgings, quarters ( here army + ( ge ) beorg refuge); cognate with German Herberge
Explanation
A harbor is a safe place providing refuge and comfort. If you're traveling, the harbor provided by a warm hotel is welcome. For ships, a harbor is a sheltered port area shielded from waves, where it's safe to dock. Harbor can also be used as a verb, which describes maintaining a belief or a feeling. If you harbor ill-will toward your neighbor John, you don't like him much. Harbor can also mean you hold back your ideas and don't express them openly. John may have no idea you hate him if you harbor your true feelings deep inside, but pretend you like him to his face.
Vocabulary lists containing harbor
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Most galaxies are thought to harbor a supermassive black hole at their center.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
In the heavily forested state, where large areas served as training grounds in the former East Germany, nearly 20% of the land is suspected to harbor old munitions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Julian Hoffman’s remarkable new memoir begins with birds: “The sky was a harbor all of a sudden. Wherever you looked, wings furrowed wakes in the air.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The researchers excluded non-placental mammals that lay eggs or harbor their newborns in belly-pouches and produce extremely small younglings from these calculations.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
Anyway, before they brought it to the harbor, the Americans had to lower the obelisk to the ground.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
River otters are not to be confused with sea otters, which live in the ocean, bays and harbors and can grow to be up to five feet and 100 pounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Valentin harbors literary aspirations—we read excerpts of his unfinished memoir—but Mr. Bošković emphasizes the contrast between the power and “unequivocalness” of the state and the sensitivity of the artist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Agents may also worry that lower fees send the wrong signal: that a property is unloved, lacks demand or harbors hidden flaws — the kind of perceptions that can help scupper a sale.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
"Our analysis shows that these animals originated in the deep ocean, a habitat which still harbors species like the ram's horn squid," says Sanchez.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2026
When the calendar turns to February, Father Julien harbors a new, secret wish.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
