harness

verb

Definition of harnessnext
as in to use
to put into action or service huge dams harness the power of water to produce electricity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 harness Mourinho wants to make the most of his vision and long passes, harnessing the pace and attacking ability of Vinicius Jr, Mbappe and Yan Diomande, the 19-year-old winger who has joined from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to €140million (£119m; $161m). — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 But the strategy Disney laid out shows that a major part of the company’s plans in the ever-important fight for consumers’ attention involves harnessing its loyal fans. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 If successful, the project could help researchers make more precise measurements and open ways to explore the fundamental nature of the universe by harnessing the quantum properties of tiny defects in diamonds. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026 In Maine, DeepGreen Western Passage has proposed a submersible AI data center in the Bay of Fundy, powered by tidal turbines designed to harness the area’s strong tidal currents. — Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harness
  1. use
  2. utilize
  3. exploit
  4. apply
  5. employ
Verb
  • Researchers have developed a new vision algorithm that lets humanoid robots perceive depth more like humans, using two forward-facing eyes.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier this month, The Financial Times appended a note to a guest column after readers questioned whether it was written using AI.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of use
Verb
  • Hall is one of the most explosive backs in the NFL, with the ability to make an impact as a pass catcher — something past offensive coordinators failed to utilize.
    — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Five new food carts will be open to all fans on the concourse at the north end, utilizing the new 37,000-square-foot open space that connects the east and west sides of the stadium.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of utilize
Verb
  • Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Other Surrealists, meanwhile, seemed to take from animals a license to exploit other (generally female) bodies, as in Clovis Trouille’sJustine(1937), in which both a naked female figure and a lion are bound and captive.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of exploit
Verb
  • The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning that applies to more than 1 million people in San Diego County, mostly across inland valleys, foothills and mountains where high temperatures will approach or exceed 95 to 114 degrees.
    — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The study found the models understood concepts such as the Kelly criterion and Merton share in theory but struggled to apply appropriate risk management when making actual simulated trading decisions.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • This metric measures the proportion of the working-age population that is either employed or actively seeking employment.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The same restraint applies to professors, who will not be permitted to employ AI to write syllabuses or course materials.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of employ

Browse Nearby Words

harms
harness
harnessed
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on harness

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about harness

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