anointed; anointing; anoints

transitive verb

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
anointment 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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Calls to anoint the backup, dual-threat transfer Jayden Maiava, have grown louder and louder among a vocal and frustrated fan base. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 Berger did acknowledge that England recently gained its fourth cardinal, Father Timothy Radcliffe, who will be anointed by Pope Francis in December. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2024 As a woman originally from the South, North Carolina to be exact, this brand will be a legacy-builder for Christie to influence more than just her peers and the publications and brands that have anointed her as a pivotal voice to pay attention to. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 15 Oct. 2024 Not long ago Taylor was in similar shoes, a second-year head coach in 2020 when the Bengals drafted Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick and immediately anointed him their starter. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anoint 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enoint, past participle of enoindre, from Latin inunguere, from in- + unguere to smear — more at ointment

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anoint was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near anoint

Cite this Entry

“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anoint. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

anoint

verb
1
: to rub over with oil or an oily substance
2
: to put oil on as part of a religious ceremony
anointer noun
anointment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on anoint

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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