Harbor and Port have almost the same meaning; however, the differences are important—and interesting. Both words refer to places on a coast (on an ocean, sea, lake, or river, for example), where many boats stop or are stored.
Harbor emphasizes its role as a safe place for boats to stop and stay. Physically, the word harbor refers to an area of water that is deep enough for big boats to anchor and protected from storms by the land around it. A harbor is usually only part of a port. And the word harbor is often used metaphorically to describe any place where a person can stop on a journey and rest and be safe.
Port, in contrast, emphasizes its role as a place where commercial boats come and go, loading and unloading goods. A port is larger than a harbor and may refer to the entire city, not only its harbor. Nowadays, the word port can also be used for any place of entry to a country—a port of entry.
Harbor and port also have many other uses.
Harbor can be a verb meaning “to hold some thoughts, feelings, or intentions”:
She harbored some regrets about her relationship with him.
Port also has a verb meaning “to transport,” which has a special meaning in software engineering—“to re-create a software system in a different language or on a different platform”:
It took us months to port the software from C++ to Python.
And finally, port has one other meaning—it is the name for a type of red wine.
More Examples of How to Use “Harbor” in a Sentence
- After their ship was wrecked, the survivors were rescued by a passing schooner, which took them to the nearest harbor.
- Keith lives in a small harbor town, where fishing is the main industry.
- The harbor was crowded with boats, so Captain Hook decided to anchor a few miles offshore.
- King’s Harbor was bustling with activity; the fishing boats were coming and going, and the yachts were docked.
- My favorite water park is Hurricane Harbor.
- Jane harbors a lot of resentment towards her boss, but she does the best she can stay professional at the workplace.
More Examples of How to Use “Port” in a Sentence
- The port of New Orleans is a busy place, with ships coming and going at all hours of the day and night. The port is also a popular destination for tourists, who come to see the city’s French Quarter and enjoy the lively atmosphere.
- On Saturday, I will travel to the port, where I will take a ferry to the island of Capri.
- Gilbert is working for the Port of Portland as a cargo loader.
- My hometown is a port city that sits on the ocean.
- Port wine is a type of fortified wine—and yes, it’s often drunk from a port glass.