1
: an act of making fast a boat or aircraft with lines or anchors
2
a
: a place where or an object to which something (such as a craft) can be moored
b
: a device (such as a line or chain) by which an object is secured in place
3
: an established practice or stabilizing influence : anchorage sense 2
usually used in plural

Examples of mooring in a Sentence

We found a temporary mooring in the harbor. The wind was strong enough to tear the boat from its moorings.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The entire exercise would only serve to give a veneer of legitimacy to a system that has lost its constitutional moorings. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 Each mooring is anchored to the ocean floor and studded with sensors that measure temperature, salinity, and pressure down to 500 meters. Byvaishnavi Chandrashekhar, science.org, 17 July 2024 Private vessels offer the most direct park access, thanks to several mooring spots for overnight boaters, but visitors arriving by cruise or ferry are in luck, too. Sarah Cahalan, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025 There are also fees for camping, power hookups, mooring, lock use and other activities. Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for mooring

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mooring was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mooring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mooring. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

1
: a place or object to which a boat or aircraft can be fastened
2
: a device or line by which a boat or aircraft is moored

More from Merriam-Webster on mooring

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