1
2
a
: occupational surroundings or routine
get back into harness after a vacation
b
: close association
ability to work in harness with others—
R. P. Brooks
R. P. Brooks3
a
: something that resembles a harness (as in holding or fastening something)
a parachute harness
b
: prefabricated wiring with insulation and terminals (see terminal entry 2 sense 3) ready to be attached (as in an ignition or lighting system)
a wiring harness
4
: a part of a loom which holds and controls the heddles
harnessed; harnessing; harnesses
Synonyms
Examples of harness in a Sentence
Noun
The pilot strapped himself into his harness before takeoff.
Verb
The horses were harnessed to the wagon.
Engineers are finding new ways to harness the sun's energy to heat homes.
The company is harnessing technology to provide better service to its customers.
They harnessed the power of the waterfall to create electricity.
harness anger to fight injustice
Recent Examples on the WebDetroit Free Press, 24 Apr. 2024
The cover photo showed Sweeney standing on the seat of a boat with a harness around her midsection while wearing water shoes.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024
The rescuer placed the woman in a harness, and the pair were airlifted from the area, the department said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
And on cooler days, a baby blanket can help keep your little one in their stroller or car seat (over, not under the harness).
—Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 4 Apr. 2024
Hermès, which was founded in 1837 as a maker of horse harnesses, is renowned for its craftsmanship.
—Jasmine Li, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Brands that harness emotions and spin captivating narratives are clinching the hearts of Gen Z consumers.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
The second concern involved hundreds of feet of protective tape used to cover the wiring harnesses inside the Starliner vehicle, which was discovered to be flammable.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 23 Mar. 2024
And for still hunting, a simple harness, without a case, is usually best.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 13 Mar. 2024
Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Victoire de Castellane, Christian Dior’s artistic director of jewelry harnesses nature in many of the collections, from fine to high jewelry alike.
—Daisy Shaw-Ellis, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
As its full applications become appreciated, AI will require new international norms and potentially new institutions to harness its positive effects and limit its negative ones.
—Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Members of our Armed Forces never shy away from a challenge – harnessing their skills and working together to help others.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
Pizza Hut also greatly believes in Lee’s power to harness and cultivate through his food review videos on social media.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024
Bracken successfully straddles the prickly tonal line between unsettling seriousness and flippant sarcasm as the resolute Darcy harnesses her connection to the dead to elucidate the truth about what happened to her beloved Dani.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
Our six-part mindfulness guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it.
—Phyllis Fagell, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
From the intricacies of regulatory compliance across diverse jurisdictions to the imperative of harnessing technological advancements for operational efficiency, the terrain is both challenging and ripe with potential.
—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
Noun
The company is looking to harness cost savings related to battery development as well as consumer behavior.
—Detroit Free Press, 24 Apr. 2024
The cover photo showed Sweeney standing on the seat of a boat with a harness around her midsection while wearing water shoes.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024
The rescuer placed the woman in a harness, and the pair were airlifted from the area, the department said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
And on cooler days, a baby blanket can help keep your little one in their stroller or car seat (over, not under the harness).
—Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 4 Apr. 2024
Hermès, which was founded in 1837 as a maker of horse harnesses, is renowned for its craftsmanship.
—Jasmine Li, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Brands that harness emotions and spin captivating narratives are clinching the hearts of Gen Z consumers.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
The second concern involved hundreds of feet of protective tape used to cover the wiring harnesses inside the Starliner vehicle, which was discovered to be flammable.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 23 Mar. 2024
And for still hunting, a simple harness, without a case, is usually best.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
The 24-year-old right-hander is already on the 40-man roster and appears to have harnessed his arsenal, with a 1.04 ERA, six strikeouts and two walks over his first eight appearances.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Victoire de Castellane, Christian Dior’s artistic director of jewelry harnesses nature in many of the collections, from fine to high jewelry alike.
—Daisy Shaw-Ellis, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
As its full applications become appreciated, AI will require new international norms and potentially new institutions to harness its positive effects and limit its negative ones.
—Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Members of our Armed Forces never shy away from a challenge – harnessing their skills and working together to help others.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
Pizza Hut also greatly believes in Lee’s power to harness and cultivate through his food review videos on social media.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024
Bracken successfully straddles the prickly tonal line between unsettling seriousness and flippant sarcasm as the resolute Darcy harnesses her connection to the dead to elucidate the truth about what happened to her beloved Dani.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
Our six-part mindfulness guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it.
—Phyllis Fagell, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
From the intricacies of regulatory compliance across diverse jurisdictions to the imperative of harnessing technological advancements for operational efficiency, the terrain is both challenging and ripe with potential.
—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'harness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near harness
Cite this Entry
“Harness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harness. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
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