1
as in having
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accommodating
to provide with living quarters or shelter
the woods in our suburb harbor deer, foxes, raccoons, and skunks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sheltering
to be or provide a shelter for
the little cabin is harbored from the wind by a thick growth of pines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harboring
But the relations have deteriorated significantly since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israeli officials voicing growing anger at Qatar, accusing the government of harboring Hamas and not putting enough pressure on it to agree to a ceasefire.
—
Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Since landing in Jezero Crater in 2021, Perseverance has been equipped with a drill to bore into Martian rock and tubes to secure samples from areas considered most favorable for harboring signs of life billions of years ago.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Cats have a one-in-seven chance of harboring the disease, a likelihood that increases to one-in-four for pig and rhesus macaque nuclear families.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
Taylor gives Denise permission to pursue Steven, despite still clearly harboring feelings for her ex.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Given recent events involving the rotation, you could be forgiven for harboring concern even with that lead.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
Any accompanying moons, however, could have better chances for harboring oceans—and perhaps even life.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
In the film, Bledel starred as teenager Winnie Foster who meets Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson), a boy who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before but is harboring a major secret.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Turkey has long accused the SDF of harboring ties to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and has supported operations against the SDF directly and through its Syrian National Army allies.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Since landing in Jezero Crater in 2021, Perseverance has been equipped with a drill to bore into Martian rock and tubes to secure samples from areas considered most favorable for harboring signs of life billions of years ago.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Cats have a one-in-seven chance of harboring the disease, a likelihood that increases to one-in-four for pig and rhesus macaque nuclear families.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
Taylor gives Denise permission to pursue Steven, despite still clearly harboring feelings for her ex.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Given recent events involving the rotation, you could be forgiven for harboring concern even with that lead.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
Any accompanying moons, however, could have better chances for harboring oceans—and perhaps even life.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
In the film, Bledel starred as teenager Winnie Foster who meets Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson), a boy who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before but is harboring a major secret.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Turkey has long accused the SDF of harboring ties to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and has supported operations against the SDF directly and through its Syrian National Army allies.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harboring
Verb
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Some common symptoms include the need to pee more frequently, feeling extremely thirsty, having dry and itchy skin, and getting dark, velvety patches on the skin.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
7 Sep. 2025
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Despite having iconic roles on The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, this is Howard's first-ever Emmy nomination for acting.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even after the policy change goes into effect, Jenkins said, Southwest will remain the industry leader in accommodating plus-size travelers.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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And because fall is all about staying cozy-slash-comfy while being on your feet all day, the Bae delivers support via its ultra-contoured outsole, accommodating toe box, and collar that, though made of the rubber-adjacent Croslite proprietary material, never rubs at your feet or causes blisters.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Off the shores of the island lie rainbow coral reefs, seagrass beds, and undersea ridges sheltering hundreds of species of fish, dugongs, and 15 species of dolphins and whales.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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Mushtaha Tower was located in the west of the city, near several large tent encampments where Palestinian civilians are sheltering.—
Morgan Winsor,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the photo, Elordi stood behind Romy, holding a glass of wine as Romy stuck her tongue out at the camera.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Packers controlled the line of scrimmage, holding the league’s top-scoring offense from 2024 to just 13 points.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The building is the home of Ukraine’s Cabinet, housing the offices of its ministers.—
Anders Hagstrom,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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The building, on the northwest side of the city, formerly housing the Milwaukee Environmental Sciences Academy in the Dineen Park neighborhood and has been turned into a shelter by the American Red Cross for dozens of residents who still haven’t found a more permanent home.—
Ricardo Torres,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While many executives are pausing on big hires or deferring large projects, Dave Anderson, Founder of TSC Security, argues that protecting your company’s digital assets should not be placed on the back burner.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Indiana University is the worst public university in the country for fostering and protecting free speech on campus, according to a national First Amendment organization that ranks universities annually.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Instead, Salt Typhoon targeted telecom carriers, government systems, transportation hubs, lodging networks and even military infrastructure.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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Blood clots that develop can travel through the veins, lodging in the heart or lungs, leading to death.—
Jessica Van Egeren,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harboring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harboring. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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