harboured by

USAGE SUMMARY

"harboured by" is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is often used when referring to emotions, intentions, or beliefs that are being contained or concealed by someone or something. For example, you could say, "The idea was harboured by his mind for many years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Again like TB, it is harboured by wild animals.

The Economist

Little else betrayed the complex emotions surely harboured by both sides.

The Guardian

Their companies were harboured by the Seychelles, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and other jurisdictions.

The Guardian

We need an insurance policy that will deter rogue states and the terrorist organisations that are harboured by them.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is an assumption that has been harboured by a few for many decades, and one that often rises to the fore during hard times.

The Guardian

Proponents of the second explanation argue that the political institutions in democracies matter more than the norms harboured by their citizens.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Different considerations may apply, for example, where the risk is of attack from terrorists sponsored or harboured by a particular State, or where there is a threat of an attack by nuclear weapons.

The Guardian

(In more bad news, whenever they talk about all the seething resentment being harboured by conservatives over ministers who didn't do or say enough to warn or save Abbott, they just serve to highlight how little anyone else cares).

The Guardian

When we went after the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001 there was a certain understanding that we had the ability and the right to defend ourselves and the fact that al-Qaida had been harboured by the Taliban was legitimate.

The Guardian

Within days, the world acknowledged this act was planned by a Saudi man named Osama bin Laden and carried out by a group of Saudis, all of them having been harboured by and trained in Afghanistan.

The Guardian - Books

These excrescences are the fruiting bodies of a fungus named after the folk tale about King Alfred who, having trouble with the Danes, was harboured by a woman whose baking he was supposed to watch and instead cremated.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "harboured by" to emphasize the idea of something being protected, concealed, or fostered within a specific environment or entity.

Common error

Avoid using "harboured by" to describe the creation or active generation of something. It is more suitable for describing entities that already exist and are being contained or supported.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harboured by" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate a relationship of containment, protection, or support. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

51%

News & Media

42%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "harboured by" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating containment or support. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and broad applicability across diverse fields like science, news, and general discourse. It emphasizes where something is sheltered, protected, or maintained, and is primarily found in news and scientific contexts, as seen in numerous examples on Ludwig. While similar to terms like "sheltered by" or "hosted by", "harboured by" carries a unique connotation of providing refuge or fostering something within, emphasizing containment or a more active role in safekeeping. The register is generally neutral to formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sheltered by

This suggests providing protection or refuge, differing slightly from simply containing or holding.

hosted by

Implies providing a space or platform, which may or may not involve active containment.

carried by

Suggests transportation or transmission, focusing on movement rather than static containment.

maintained by

Indicates preservation or upkeep, differing in focus from initial containment.

sustained by

Implies that something is kept alive or supported, highlighting the aspect of maintaining existence

supported by

Highlights the aspect of providing assistance, either literally or figuratively.

possessed by

Suggests ownership or control, adding an element of dominion absent in the original phrase.

occupied by

Indicates physical presence or inhabitation, differing from harboring abstract concepts.

characterized by

Focuses on distinctive traits or qualities rather than containment

administered by

Highlights management or governance, rather than the idea of containing something

FAQs

How is "harboured by" used in a sentence?

Use "harboured by" to indicate that something is sheltered, contained, or fostered within something else. For example, "The fugitive was harboured by the villagers" or "The resentment was harboured by his heart."

What phrases are similar to "harboured by"?

Similar phrases include "sheltered by", "hosted by", or "carried by", depending on the specific context.

Can "harboured by" be used for both physical and abstract concepts?

Yes, "harboured by" can apply to both physical entities (e.g., "The ship was harboured by the port") and abstract concepts (e.g., "The secret was harboured by her silence").

Is there a difference between "harboured by" and "possessed by"?

Yes, "harboured by" implies containment or protection, while "possessed by" suggests ownership or control. The nuances differentiate the meaning significantly.