as in to smear
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anoint
One Battle’s front-runner status came from the top down, its greatness anointed by critics and tastemakers before the general audience could see it.
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Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
The wins come on the heels of the Gotham Film Awards anointing One Battle After Another its Best Feature on Monday, and the New York Film Critics Circle doing the same Tuesday.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2025
The Lionel Messi-Lamine Yamal connection For believers in the soccer gods, Lamine Yamal's ascent to the upper echelons of the sport could almost seem predestined with Lamine anointed by a Barça icon — Lionel Messi.
—Nathalie Sommer, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
The episode officially anoints a new captain for the 118 — and sees Harry considering a life fighting fires.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anoint
Verb
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Hadid appears beat up with a gash on her arm, dirt on her face, and smeared black eye makeup.—
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That would hardly seem out of place, especially given that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem smeared Good as a domestic terrorist.—
Verb
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During the week, Barton often painted an image of himself as more sinned against than sinning.—
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Asthma attacks, severe headaches and lesions on her arms and legs painted a mysterious picture for doctors, some of whom suggested the pain was all in her head.—
Verb
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Sports Equipment While the dishwasher isn't ideal for cleaning baseball caps, uniforms, or equipment heavily-coated with mud, a trip through a dishwasher cycle is ideal to remove bacteria and odors from mouth guards and hard plastic shin guards.—
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The outer layer of the capsule is made from gelatin coated with a layer of cellulose and either molybdenum or tungsten, which blocks any RF signal from being emitted.—
Cite this Entry
“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anoint. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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