Anchors is a plural noun or verb form referring to devices that secure or stabilize objects, or to individuals or ideas that provide stability or confidence. In most contexts it denotes physical anchors used in nautical or structural settings, as well as metaphorical anchors in discourse or media. The word carries a practical, grounded sense of steadiness and reliability.
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- You may mispronounce the second syllable as /kər/ with a clear 'r' in non-rhotic environments; keep it as /kɚ/ or /kə/ based on accent. - Focus on final /z/; avoid devoicing or making it /s/ in plural contexts after voiced sounds. - Ensure the first syllable has the short 'a' as in cat; avoid a drawn-out 'æ' or 'eɪ' sound. - Use minimal pairs like anchors vs ancrs (incorrect). - Work on connected speech; don’t pause between syllables; the word should be two quick syllables, with the final /z/ linking to the next word.
- US: Rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable; final /z/ is voiced; keep the mouth slightly rounded when producing /ɚ/. - UK: Often non-rhotic; may reduce final syllable to /əz/ or /əz/; practice with and without r-coloring. - AU: Similar to US in rhythm; vowel quality varies; ensure consistent final /z/ and second syllable reduced to /ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on context. - Vowel focus: short 'a' in the first syllable; second syllable vowel is central; the jaw relaxes; lips neutral. - IPA references: /ˈæŋ.kɚz/ (US), /ˈæŋ.kəz/ (UK), /ˈæŋ.kəz/ (AU).
"- The ship dropped its anchors to ride out the storm."
"- In the debate, her calm demeanor acted as emotional anchors for the audience."
"- We anchored the tent to the ground to withstand the wind."
"- The company’s roots and long-term clients are its anchors in a volatile market."
Anchors comes from the noun anchor, derived from Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, via Late Latin ancora, with roots in Greek ánchōra (ἄγκυρα) meaning 'a hook or anchor'. The English verb form anchored emerged in the Middle English period as a past participle/verb derived from the noun, extended to the sense of 'to fix, secure, or provide stability' metaphorically. The plural suffix -s is standard for English nouns, forming 'anchors' to indicate multiple devices or instances, and in verb form, the third-person singular present tense of anchor remains 'anchors' (he anchors). The evolution reflects nautical culture's prominence in English-speaking regions, where securing vessels and goods was essential, expanding into broader metaphorical uses to describe anything providing stability, consistency, or reference points in complex situations. First known uses appear in maritime contexts dating to the medieval period, with literary appearances in works describing ships and harbor practices, then broadening to figurative language in the 18th–19th centuries as industrial and analytical language developed.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "anchors" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "anchors" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "anchors"
-nks sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
You pronounce it as /ˈæŋ.kɚz/ in US and UK standards, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable uses the short 'a' as in 'cat', and the second syllable has a voiced rhotic vowel or schwa depending on accent. In American English, the final -s is an 'z' sound: /ˈæŋ.kɚz/. In careful speech, the 'r' is articulated; in non-rhotic accents the final 'r' is less distinct. Audio reference you can check: Pronounce or Cambridge audio entries for anchors.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the final -s, saying /ˈæŋ.kɚ/; (2) Prolonging or misplacing the syllable, producing /ˈæŋ.kərz/ with intrusive vowels; (3) Substituting a long 'a' or a schwa in the second syllable instead of the correct rhotic vowel in US. Correction: keep the second syllable as /kɚ/ (or /kə/ in non-rhotic dialects) and produce a clear /z/ at the end; ensure the first syllable is stressed with a short ‘a’ as in 'cat'.
US English: /ˈæŋ.kɚz/ with clear rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable and final /z/. UK English: /ˈæŋ.kəz/ in many non-rhotic variants; final may be a voiceless /z/ or /s/ depending on phonetic environment; some speakers favor /əz/ or /əz/; AU: often /ˈæŋ.kəz/ with an emphasis on flapped or approximant /ɹ/ not typically present as a true /r/. Accent differences mainly affect rhoticity and the quality of the second syllable vowel.
Two key challenges: (1) The second syllable contains a central rhotic vowel /ɚ/ in US and /ə/ in non-rhotic variants, which may be unclear for learners; (2) The final s can be voiced /z/ or voiceless /s/ depending on context, causing confusion about voicing. Practicing distinct /ɚ/ or /ə/ and final /z/ vs /s/ in connected speech helps reduce ambiguity.
No silent letters in modern standard pronunciation; however, the 'r' in US is pronounced as a rhotic approximant, while in many UK pronunciations the /r/ is not pronounced in non-rhotic variants, and the final /z/ is voiced. The most important is not to rush the second syllable and to articulate the final /z/ clearly in US speech.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "anchors"!
- Shadowing: hear a native speaker say anchors and imitate sentence-by-sentence, matching rhythm and intonation. - Minimal pairs: anchor vs anchors vs ankress (for exemplar); focus on final /z/ vs /s/. - Rhythm: practice saying anchors in connected speech: anchors of stability; anchor the plan; the anchors are ready. - Stress: stress the first syllable; keep the second syllable quickly articulated. - Recording: record yourself saying anchors in a sentence; compare with a native speaker. - Context practice: read two sentences with anchors; practice slow, normal, fast speed.
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