HARBORS Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

harbors 1 of 2

noun

plural of harbor

as in ports

a part of a body of water protected and deep enough to be a place of safety for ships the tanker stayed in Boston harbor three days to undergo repairs

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as in shelters

something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger seeking a harbor from the drenching rain, we unfortunately chose a bank where a robbery was taking place

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harbors

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of harbor

as in has

to keep in one's mind or heart he had long harbored a grudge against his old employer, who had high-handedly fired him without cause

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in houses

to provide with living quarters or shelter the woods in our suburb harbor deer, foxes, raccoons, and skunks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in protects

to be or provide a shelter for the little cabin is harbored from the wind by a thick growth of pines

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exposes

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 harbors

Noun

Jetties are long barriers often constructed of boulders or concrete at inlets or harbors to keep navigation channels open, while groins are shorter and often are built on open beaches to stop erosion and widen the sand area. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Yet despite sitting on one of the world’s largest natural harbors, Falmouth remains a relatively small player in the British cruise industry. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 After identifying the genomic safe harbors, the researchers applied short bursts of electricity to those eggs. — Jay Kakade august 05, Refractor, 5 Aug. 2026 Some harbors are too shallow for large vessels; in other ports there are protected reefs or other environmental restrictions; and some lack a pier large enough to accommodate the ship. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Meet the chicken kidney sponge, a true ecosystem engineer that could use its filter-feeding power to clean the degraded habitats in and around busy harbors. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 July 2026 Its ships have hundreds of rooms and suites—not thousands—and slip into harbors that megaships cannot reach, keeping shore days intimate enough that the market vendor, the guide, and the lunch that follows feel like part of the same long afternoon. — Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026 Yachts swarm the harbors of everywhere from Monaco to Mallorca—and cruise ships are a close second. — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026 Each has its own distinct character—from postcard-perfect villages and bustling harbors to windswept dunes, freshwater ponds, and some of New England’s most spectacular beaches. — Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 27 June 2026

Verb

His desire for purpose in life is deeply informed by a notion that the nation still harbors opportunities for freedom. — Christopher Coffman, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026 The compound harbors multiple restaurants, a full-scale spa, and a lush central courtyard garden. — Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Anne harbors an inner world that, while upsetting for Martha to witness, is nonetheless rich. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026 Naftali Bennett, Eisenkot’s likely coalition partner, who also harbors hopes of becoming prime minister, has advocated that Israel pursue total victory in Gaza. — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026 Runway’s approach currently harbors an advantage for dynamic simulation, though. — ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026 The summit harbors the prospect of unexpected personal brushups, a rare setting where 32 heads of state convene in the same place. — Chris Boccia, ABC News, 7 July 2026 Long considered one of the finest examples of colonial architecture to be found in Connecticut, the Ebenezer Grant House harbors a pleasant surprise. — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026 The Temple Mount movement — a loose coalition of Israeli religious and nationalist organizations — harbors a potentially explosive mix of prophecy and politics that aims to upend some 1,300 years of Muslim control over the third-holiest site in Islam and the holiest one for Jews. — Gabe Joselow, NBC news, 26 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbors

Noun

Iran has endured decades of harsh sanctions and has recently faced a full US Navy blockade of its ports that has dried up oil exports.

— Yash Roy, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Those exercises were to have involved US Marines stationed in the Japanese island of Okinawa, units of which were involved in the blockade of Iranian ports.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of ports

Noun

Raymond’s complaint alleges Miranda continued taking dogs and collecting fees from shelters while killing some of the animals already in his care and, in some cases, falsely reporting that they had been adopted.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
People need to figure out what is out there, from emergency shelters to passport agencies.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of shelters

Noun

Such spaces create temporary refuges from the digital stream, and allow habits of slowness, concentration, and absorption to become socially reinforced.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Two mountain refuges sit high on the plateau, giving hikers the option to spend the night surrounded by Olympus' alpine scenery.

— Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of refuges

Verb

Two more advisers, each of whom holds the president’s trust, are also leaving the White House within weeks.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Even if El Niño’s temperature swings stayed exactly the same magnitude, its floods and droughts would still get worse in a warmer world because the hotter atmosphere holds more water vapor.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of holds

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harboring

harbors

hard

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“Harbors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbors. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of harbors

noun

verb

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