as in smears
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 anoints
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
The Swedish institution often anoints writers who metabolize their specific histories into memorable language that stretches beyond borders and governments, transcending regional particulars.
—Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
The Swedish institution often anoints writers who metabolize their specific histories into memorable language that stretches beyond borders and governments, transcending regional particulars.
—Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anoints
Verb
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This chilling, starkly beautiful ambient piece draws Nebraska’s marginal whispers to the forefront and smears them across the picture plane.—
Sasha Geffen,
Pitchfork,
10 Mar. 2026
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The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The interviews themselves are informative, but unobtrusive, and the while intimate footage of Frazier and Reynolds’ personal lives paints a slightly wider picture of their circumstances, their moods in the aftermath of their unfortunate digital breakthroughs is kept largely at an arm’s length.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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Some researchers have pointed out that NOVA paints with a pretty wide brush.—
Marisa McMillan,
Outside,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Add Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon butter and a squeeze of lemon juice; stir, adding more pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time, if needed, until sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Greek yogurt has a thick texture that coats the florets.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anoints.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anoints. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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