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
Matthias Balk | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Five years ago, venture capitalists were pouring money into American startups selling everything from lingerie subscriptions to scheduling software, anointing them with billion-dollar valuations before most even turned a profit.
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Hugh Son, CNBC, 1 June 2026
Curry Barker, the writer-director of Obsession, has been similarly anointed.
—Tyler Chou, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
As long as there has been gaming media, there have been anointed games that everyone who’s part of the club is expected to like.
—ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
Lewer wasn’t the only prizewinner anointed at the ceremony.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Hugh Son, CNBC, 1 June 2026
Curry Barker, the writer-director of Obsession, has been similarly anointed.
—Tyler Chou, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
As long as there has been gaming media, there have been anointed games that everyone who’s part of the club is expected to like.
—ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
Lewer wasn’t the only prizewinner anointed at the ceremony.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anoint
Verb
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Over in the next aisle, Gifty Anderson, who typically buys bales from Canada and the United Kingdom, held up a dress smeared with body makeup and tossed it aside without a second thought.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
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This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Still, the official painted a picture of negotiations with Iran being in a much better place.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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The album features 13 songs on a split tracklist, styled after a vinyl or cassette tape, that paints a chronological narrative about the dismantling of a romantic relationship.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Over time, however, they can get coated in pesky grime and dust that restricts airflow and makes things look dingy.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
11 June 2026
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Regions like Brittany and Bordeaux have their own distinctive baking traditions, with buttery treats that come shaped like bicycle wheels or coated in beeswax.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anoint. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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