ANCHORS Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

anchors 1 of 2

noun

plural of anchor

as in newscasters

one who reads and introduces news reports on a news program the news anchor coordinated the reports of the correspondents from around the state

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as in backbones

something or someone to which one looks for support my best friend has been my anchor throughout this crisis

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anchors

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of anchor

as in secures

to put securely in place or in a desired position used ropes and sandbags to anchor the hot-air balloon to the ground

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lands

to stop at or near a place along the shore we'll anchor at Praia, Cape Verde

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of anchors

Noun

Hours saved, error rates, conversion lift and resolution time all work as anchors. — Brian Harmison, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Four rescuers used anchors and rope systems to reach Martin, secure him and guide him away from the steep gully. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Leaving a familiar environment removes our daily safety anchors, and unresolved stress can resurface as anxiety or hypervigilance amid the unpredictability of new places. — Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026 The announcement has sparked concern among families who view these schools as community anchors. — Ted Scouten, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Capp’s flagship class on the Vietnam War’s impact on American religion and culture became a national sensation, drawing praise from members of Congress, television news anchors, and public intellectuals. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 Its anchors argued passionately for a foreign intervention that would allow protesters to oust the regime under Pahlavi’s leadership. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 As Chicago deals with seismic cultural, economic and technological shifts, all 82 library branches will play an even bigger role as anchors for our communities. — Michael Fassnacht, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 The new service aims to create new opportunities for subscribers to interact with MS NOW’s roster of reporters anchors and contributors. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

Perkins, for his part, spent the weeks up to the recall election touting his work securing historic preservation and development grants for Englewood Square, the arts district which anchors his council territory. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 An Iranian doctor whose life is dismantled by the Tehran regime anchors A Bit of Light from Ali Asgari, whose Divine Comedy won the Venice Horizons Award last year. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 The effect of the Quran Hall, which anchors one of the most ambitious cultural projects in Central Asia, is almost psychedelic, like a Pink Floyd concert reimagined as an act of religious devotion. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026 Linebacker Sammy Brown anchors a defense that struggled and prompted Dabo Swinney to uncharacteristically lean on the transfer portal to shore things up. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Advanced radar anchors new destroyer USS Ted Stevens is equipped with the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar, which is an important part of the Flight III design. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 Custom cabinetry is paired with quartzite countertops and an expansive waterfall‑edge island that anchors the room. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Defensively, Bett anchors the interior line, while sophomores Joseph Mbatchou and Jeremiah McCloud look poised for second-year jumps after promising freshman seasons. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Pahokee features senior running back and Presbyterian College commit Samuel Arnold, who anchors the Blue Devils’ offense. — Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anchors

Noun

There’s something powerful—and, yes, stripped down—about seeing these politicians and newscasters without being able to hear their language.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
The group ventriloquized the voices of authority—parents, school principals, cops, military officers, judges, politicians, newscasters, Soviet apparatchiks—and turned them into expressions of mass insanity.

— Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026

Definition of newscasters

Noun

More specifically, insects are invertebrates (animals without backbones) and are part of the arthropod phylum, which also includes spiders, crabs, and centipedes.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Look under rocks for macroinvertebrates (animals without backbones, like stoneflies).

— Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2026

Definition of backbones

Verb

Each of the four fold-out implements within the Helton chassis locks in place via a simple liner lock-style mechanism between the scales that secures the tool at the joint.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
The oil deal between the United States and Venezuela, which secures American access to more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves, promises something both countries want.

— Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of secures

Verb

When a company that builds fire trucks, rail-maintenance machinery, or electric vehicle chargers is invited to bid on a big contract, the request that lands in its inbox can run to thousands of pages of technical specifications.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
For a midsized carrier, this usually lands between 40 and 60 subprocesses, each carrying three to 12 variants.

— Manish Garg, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of lands

Noun

After holding steady last year while commercial broadcasters such as Canal+ and TF1 scaled back, the public broadcaster will reduce its investment in film by €5 million in 2026.

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
Once broadcasters enter the Pete Maher broadcast booth — named after the longtime, legendary Flames broadcaster — they’re treated to some of the best sight lines in the league for broadcasters.

— Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026

Definition of broadcasters

Noun

Volkswagen’s prosperity was recently based on two pillars – huge profits earned in China, and the highly successful German base where its engineers led the world for decades in making and exporting advanced sedans and SUVs.

— Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Narrower set of engines Next week's nonfarm payrolls report could also give some reassurance on how the economy is doing, which remains robust but with weakening pillars of support.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of pillars

Verb

Unique to the mid-top is a metal hook that fastens its collar strap, replacing the plastic hook traditionally seen on the Air Force 1 Mid.

— Riley Jones, Footwear News, 16 Aug. 2026
My favorite detail is the red ribbon on Giovanna’s right shoulder, which fastens her sleeve to her dress and floats over the darkness.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

Definition of fastens

Verb

Paul Ryzak, who docks his charter boat under the bridge, says his business has been negatively impacted by the construction.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Once Orion docks with Blue Moon on Artemis III, two of the mission's astronauts will be able to board the lander to test out its environmental control systems, avionics and the interoperability between the two spacecraft in flight.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 20 July 2026