Thesaurus results for ANOINT

anoint

verb

ə-ˈnȯint

Definition of anoint

as in to smear

to rub an oily or sticky substance over anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of anoint Mercifully, the Global Spirits Masters anoints just one bottle its annual Tastemaster – the one bottle to rule them all. — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026 After Giannoulias leapt into the mayoral fray, some city media folks anointed him the front-runner. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026 Of course, with Aegon still breathing, the High Septon is less inclined than ever to anoint a woman in defiance of the deeply patriarchal Faith of the Seven. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 The third floor contains meeting rooms where Smith and other leaders inaugurated a rite that involved foot-washing and anointing by oil, and where Smith reported a divine revelation of new teachings. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anoint

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anoint

Verb

Darker smears around the crater’s rim contain surface rocks and lunar dust called regolith previously altered by solar winds, micrometeorites, and cosmic radiation over an extended period of time.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
The atmosphere works on them a little bit harder and reduces their strength and smears them a little bit more.

— Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of smear

Verb

On one wall, the ambassador installed Marc Lipp’s Fight Fight Fight, a depiction of Trump with a bloody ear and raised fist painted by one of the president’s favorite Palm Beach watercolorists.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Taken together, experts say, the moves paint a picture of a hedge fund manager willing to buy when others are forced to sell, take profits when opportunities change and rotate capital toward companies with strong underlying businesses.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of paint

Browse Nearby Words

anodynes

anoint

anointed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anoint. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of anoint

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes