2 syllables: An, chor. Stress on An.
ANG-kur
/ˈæŋkɚ/
Anchor is pronounced ANG-kur (/ˈæŋkɚ/). It has two syllables (An-chor), with the stress on "An". Anchor is a noun meaning a heavy device used to moor a vessel to the sea bed or, metaphorically, something that provides stability or a focal point. It denotes a fixed point of reference or safety, and can describe a person or thing that gives confidence or grounding in a situation. In speech, it begins with a stressed first syllable and ends with a rhotic schwa in many dialects.
nounAnchor is a noun meaning a heavy device used to moor a vessel to the sea bed or, metaphorically, something that provides stability or a focal point. It denotes a fixed point of reference or safety, and can describe a person or thing that gives confidence or grounding in a situation. In speech, it begins with a stressed first syllable and ends with a rhotic schwa in many dialects.
- Commonly you may replace the /æŋ/ sequence with a simpler /æŋ/ without a precise /ŋ/ timing before /k/. Tip: hold the /ŋ/ briefly, then release /k/ crisply. - The second syllable often becomes a full vowel instead of a reduced /ər/ or /ə/. Work on ending with a light, quick schwa and a barely voiced /ɹ/ in rhotic accents. - Speakers with non-rhotic patterns may drop or weaken the /ɹ/; practice with a gentle rhotic release or observe how American and some UK dialects keep the /ɹ/ audible. - In fast speech, you may sound like /æŋkə/; practice with a slow pronunciation, then gradually increase tempo while preserving the /ŋk/ transition and final syllable.
How to Pronounce Anchor
"- The ship dropped its anchor as the tide turned."
"- Her job as a journalist became an anchor for the team’s coverage."
"- He remained the anchor of calm during the crisis."
Anchor is pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable: ˈæŋ.kər. Start with the open front unrounded /æ/ as in cat, then bring the velar nasal /ŋ/ as in sing, and finish with a rhotacized schwa /ər/ in rhotic accents. In careful speech you’ll hear the two clear syllables AN-chor; in faster speech the second vowel may reduce toward a schwa. Audio reference: compare with dictionary entries that provide native-speaker clips; you’ll notice the /æ/ is held longer than a quick /æ/ in “an.”
Common errors: 1) Misplacing the /ŋ/ or producing a /ŋk/ cluster without a clean velar stop before it; ensure the /ŋ/ is followed by a clear /k/ then a reduced /ər/. 2) Over-pronouncing the second syllable as /ɑr/ instead of a short /ər/; keep the schwa-like reduction. 3) Flattening the first vowel to a flat /æ/ in all positions. Practice with listening that anchors the mouth to a mid-/æ/ then relaxes into /ər/ for the last sound.
US: ˈæŋ.kər with pronounced /ər/ ending and rhoticity. UK: ˈæŋ.kə with a shorter /ə/ in the second syllable; non-rhotic tendencies may reduce the /r/ sound in careful speech. AU: ˈæŋ.kə, with Australian vowel quality leaning toward a centralized /ə/ and less pronounced rhoticity in casual speech. In all, the first syllable remains /æŋ/, but the second syllable varies in vowel quality and rhotic realization.
The difficulty stems from the coarticulation between /æ/ in the first syllable and the velar nasal /ŋ/ that links to /k/. Then comes the rhotic or reduced ending /ər/ or /ə/. For some speakers, the transition between the alveolar /n/ and velar /k/ can blur, and the trailing /ər/ can be reduced too much, making the word sound like /æŋkə/ or /æŋkər/ without the crisp /ər/. Focus on clean /ŋ/ + /k/ release and a controlled, brief second syllable.
Anchor presents a typical two-syllable contour with strong initial energy and a light, quick second syllable; the challenge is maintaining a crisp /ŋ/ before /k/ and not letting the second vowel swallow the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Specifically, you should aim for a clear alveolar /n/ contact before the velar stop, and then finish with a precise, relaxed /ər/ (or /ə/ in non-rhotic dialects).
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- US: emphasize /æ/ and keep /ɹ/ strongly voiced; allow a subtle rhotic ending; IPA: ˈæŋ.kɚ. - UK: non-rhotic tendencies, so /ˈæŋ.kə/ with a lighter final /ə/, and less pronounced rhoticity; keep the lip rounding moderate for /ə/. - AU: /ˈæŋ.kə/ with flatter vowel height and less rhotic emphasis; mouth tends to be relaxed; IPA: ˈæŋ.kə. - General: maintain a crisp /ŋk/ sequence; avoid creating a digraph by merging /ŋ/ and /k/ too slowly. - Lip shape: for /æ/, stay relaxed; for /ər/ in rhotic accents, roll the tongue slightly toward the palate for a stronger rhotic color.
Anchor derives from the Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, from Greek ankōr, borrowed from a pre-Greek Mediterranean form. The Latin/Greek term referred to a device used to secure ships, likely from a broader Semitic root related to securing or fastening. In early English nautical usage, anchor described the fixed device used to hold ships in place, with the Middle English form anchour/anchor evolving in spelling and pronunciation. By the 13th–16th centuries, anchor carried both literal and figurative senses (as a stabilizing force). By the 17th century, metaphorical uses expanded to denote a dependable person or institution providing stability. In modern usage, anchor spans nautical, broadcasting (as a news anchor), and figurative contexts of reliability and grounding. The word’s phonology centers on a stressed first syllable with a strong onset consonant and a rhotacized ending in many accents.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Anchor" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Anchor" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Anchor"
-ter sounds
-ner sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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