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
At the direction of God, the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely, outcast teenager as the new king.
—
Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 24 June 2025
The Yankees loved Rice’s exit velocity throughout spring training and anointed hm into the DH mix when Giancarlo Stanton went down with tendon issues in both elbows.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Read more: How U.S. Strikes May Have Inadvertently Helped the Iranian Regime
Ever since George W. Bush anointed Russia, Iran and North Korea as the Axis of Evil, the U.S. had failed to cripple its surge — until now.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 June 2025
With one more win, they’d be anointed as one of the greatest single-season teams in history.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 24 June 2025
The Yankees loved Rice’s exit velocity throughout spring training and anointed hm into the DH mix when Giancarlo Stanton went down with tendon issues in both elbows.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Read more: How U.S. Strikes May Have Inadvertently Helped the Iranian Regime
Ever since George W. Bush anointed Russia, Iran and North Korea as the Axis of Evil, the U.S. had failed to cripple its surge — until now.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 June 2025
With one more win, they’d be anointed as one of the greatest single-season teams in history.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anoint
Verb
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Blood appeared to be smeared across the woman’s nose and mouth and across the sheets, according to court documents.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2025
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In the video, Adira takes a special liking to the lipstick, smearing it all over her own mouth and chin, while Olympia seemed to be taking her mom’s notes on how to perfect a makeup look.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Ratings As ever with modern-day viewing, ratings can paint a mixed picture.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
21 July 2025
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Those results are married to emails and interviews, and sometimes further testing – such as looking at supporting documentation – is necessary for painting a clearer picture.—
Jesse Silvertown,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Except there’s a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, and coated in a puzzle.—
Irina Ivanova,
Fortune,
13 July 2025
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Chicken and waffles are also popular, and one waffle menu item comes coated in Fruity Pebbles breakfast cereal.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anoint. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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