The aim of the present study was to research the mechanism of action of microRNA‑144 (miR‑144) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its role in tumor progression. It was demonstrated that miR‑144 was downregulated and anoctamin 1 (ANO1) expression was upregulated in CRC. The expression of ANO1 was negatively associated with that of miR‑144 in CRC. The present study indicated that upregulated expression of ANO1 was associated with poor differentiation and advanced tumor‑node‑metastasis stage. It was verified that upregulation of ANO1 expression activated the epidermal growth factor receptor/extracellular signal‑regulated kinase signaling pathway. It was also demonstrated that miR‑144 exerts strong tumor‑inhibiting effects by targeting ANO1. Therefore, miR‑144 may have potential as a prognostic marker or therapeutic target for CRC.