Anchor meaning, definition, and synonyms

Anchor has a few related meanings. It can be a device that holds a ship in place, a TV news host who leads a broadcast, a verb meaning to secure or fasten firmly, or a word for something that provides stability and support.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /ˈæŋkər/

Easy pronunciation: ANK-er (approximate spelling).

Stress: Stress is on the first syllable.

Noun meaning a device used to keep a vessel from moving.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Anchor Meaning

something that holds a boat or ship in place

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a device used to keep a vessel from moving

Example: The boat swung around when the anchor was raised.

Synonyms for this meaning:

ground tackle — A nautical term for anchor equipment; more technical and less common than anchor.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Anchor

Meaning 2

the main host of a news program

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute

Example: She works as the evening news anchor.

Synonyms for this meaning:

anchorman — A direct synonym, though often used for a male anchor or in a more traditional form.
anchorperson — A direct synonym for a news anchor, especially gender-neutral usage.

Meaning 3

to fasten something so it stays in place

Part of speech: verb

Definition: fix firmly and stably

Example: They anchored the posts in concrete.

Synonyms for this meaning:

ground — Works well in the sense of fastening or securing something firmly.

Meaning 4

to stop a boat by dropping an anchor

Part of speech: verb

Definition: secure a vessel with an anchor

Example: We anchored near the harbor before sunset.

Synonyms for this meaning:

cast anchor — A nautical phrase meaning to drop anchor.
drop anchor — A common phrase meaning to let down an anchor.

Meaning 5

something that keeps people or things steady and strong

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a central cohesive source of support and stability

Example: Her calm presence was the anchor of the team.

Synonyms for this meaning:

backbone — Can work as a figurative support term, but it is not always interchangeable.
keystone — A figurative support term; close in meaning but not identical in use.
linchpin — A strong figurative match for something essential to stability.
lynchpin — Variant spelling of linchpin; same figurative sense.
mainstay — A common figurative synonym for a main source of support.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Anchor Synonyms

Similar Meaning

linchpin
mainstay
backbone

news broadcaster sense

anchorman
anchorperson

verb: fasten firmly

ground

verb: stop a vessel with an anchor

cast anchor
drop anchor

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Using anchor to mean any kind of support object, not specifically the nautical device.
Mixing up the news-anchor meaning with the verb meaning of securing a boat.
Assuming ground always means the same thing as anchor in every context; it only fits the fastening sense.
Using lynchpin and linchpin as different words; lynchpin is just a spelling variant of linchpin.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does anchor mean?

Anchor can mean a device that holds a ship in place, a news host, a verb meaning to fasten firmly or stop a boat, or a figurative source of stability and support.

What is the most common meaning of anchor?

The most common everyday meaning is the device used to keep a boat or ship from moving.

What are common synonyms for anchor?

For the nautical noun, a close synonym is ground tackle. Other senses have different synonyms, such as anchorman or anchorperson for a news host, and linchpin or mainstay for a figurative source of support.

Is anchor always a noun?

No. Anchor can be a noun or a verb, depending on the meaning.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.