anointed; anointing; anoints
1
: to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance
2
a
: to apply oil to as part of a religious ceremony
The priest anointed the sick.
b
: to choose by or as if by divine election
anoint him as his successor
also
: to designate as if by a ritual anointment
Critics have anointed her as an important new literary figure.
anointer
noun
Examples of anoint in a Sentence
The magazine anointed her the most popular actress of the year.
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
Recent Examples on the Web
Buddhist-Taoist Japan, anointed as a new giant in Clash, has all but withdrawn from the stage.
—
Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
At least one competitor is already anointing Stolz, a seven-time world champ who’s just 21— and only halfway through the Olympic program in Milan—the best ever.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
The John Harbaugh era came to an end, and Ravens brass has anointed former Harbaugh disciple Jesse Minter as the man to lead Baltimore back to Super Bowl glory.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Hot 97 has played an outsize role for decades in debuting new hits, anointing superstars, and wading into major cultural debates; Mero’s most recent predecessor in the morning-show role is Ebro Darden, who announced the end of his 20-plus-year tenure at the station in December.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
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Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
At least one competitor is already anointing Stolz, a seven-time world champ who’s just 21— and only halfway through the Olympic program in Milan—the best ever.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
The John Harbaugh era came to an end, and Ravens brass has anointed former Harbaugh disciple Jesse Minter as the man to lead Baltimore back to Super Bowl glory.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Hot 97 has played an outsize role for decades in debuting new hits, anointing superstars, and wading into major cultural debates; Mero’s most recent predecessor in the morning-show role is Ebro Darden, who announced the end of his 20-plus-year tenure at the station in December.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Cite this Entry
“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anoint. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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