plural harbors
1
: a place of security and comfort : refuge
the … Loyalists found harbor in the same areas—
W. G. Hardy
W. G. Hardy2
: a part of a body of water protected and deep enough to furnish anchorage
a yacht harbor
especially
: one with port facilities
harbored; harboring
ˈhär-b(ə-)riŋ 
; harbors
; harbors
1
a
: to give shelter or refuge to
harboring a fugitive
b
: to be the home or habitat of
The ledges still harbor rattlesnakes.
2
: to hold especially persistently in the mind : cherish
harbored a grudge
1
: to take shelter in or as if in a harbor
ships harboring in the bay
2
: live
parasites that harbor in the blood
Synonyms
Examples of harbor in a Sentence
Noun
the tanker stayed in Boston harbor three days to undergo repairs
seeking a harbor from the drenching rain, we unfortunately chose a bank where a robbery was taking place
Verb
It is illegal to harbor an escaped convict.
He still harbors deep feelings of resentment toward his former employer.
I don't harbor any illusions about our chances for success.
She studies the genetic material harbored in a cell's nucleus.
Some of these animals may harbor disease that could affect humans.
Recent Examples on the Web
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
The atypical wind direction can pose a specific risk for boats and maritime infrastructure, as harbors that are usually well protected on the leeward side of the Channel Islands are suddenly exposed to forceful gusts and waves.
—Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Meanwhile, his song drew sharp criticism from the left, with critics accusing Anthony of punching down and harboring racist sentiments.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harbor 
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Noun
Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
The atypical wind direction can pose a specific risk for boats and maritime infrastructure, as harbors that are usually well protected on the leeward side of the Channel Islands are suddenly exposed to forceful gusts and waves.
—Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
But discoveries of ocean worlds on Saturn’s Enceladus and Jupiter’s Europa, both of which have spouted similar-looking plumes, have made scientists cautiously hopeful that the Neptunian moon could also be harboring a sodden secret.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Meanwhile, his song drew sharp criticism from the left, with critics accusing Anthony of punching down and harboring racist sentiments.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harbor
Dictionary Entries Near harbor
Cite this Entry
“Harbor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harbor. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
harbor
2 of 2 verb
harbored; harboring
-b(ə-)riŋ
1
: to give shelter to
harbor an escaped convict
2
: to hold a thought or feeling of
harbor a grudge
3
: to take shelter in or as if in a harbor
harborer
noun
Medical Definition
harbor
transitive verb
har·bor
ˈhär-bər
: to contain or be the home, habitat, or host of
those who harbor the gene for the illness—William Booth
William Boothgreen monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) may have harbored the ancestor of the AIDS virus—R. C. Gallo
R. C. GalloLove words? Need even more definitions?
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