anoint

verb

ə-ˈnȯint 

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

ə-ˈnȯint-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• bedaub
• besmear
• daub
• smear

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

The winner will be anointed with national championship front-runner status. —Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Why had the internet anointed Mangione a folk hero? —Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 13 Dec. 2024

Comments The Golden Globes nominations just anointed a new class of honorees into the elite circles of awards season. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2024

Courtesy Netflix Photographed by Addy Campbell, GQ, May/April 2024 Domingo attended his first Met Gala earlier this year, following an awards season that saw the actor’s bold, majestic style command red carpets and anoint him one of the best dressed men in Hollywood. —Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2024

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

Kids Definition

anoint

verb

ə-ˈnȯint 

1

: to rub over with oil or an oily substance

2

: to put oil on as part of a religious ceremony

anointer noun

anointment

-mənt 

noun