annex

1 of 2

verb

an·​nex ə-ˈneks  ˈa-ˌneks 

annexed; annexing; annexes

transitive verb

1

: to incorporate (an additional geographic area) within the domain of a country, state, etc.

The U.S. annexed Texas in 1845.

… the Dutch colony was annexed by Indonesia.

—Julian Evans

Danville [Illinois] has continued to expand its geographic footprint despite population decline by annexing adjacent communities.

—Sara S. Metcalf

2

: to add (something) to something earlier, larger, or more important

—often used with to

They annexed a copy of the letter to the affidavit.

… a … bathroom annexed to a wide variety of household spaces.

—Duo Dickinson

3

: to obtain or take (something) for oneself

After a time Heyst perceived that Wang had annexed all the keys. Any keys left lying about vanished after Wang had passed that way.

—Joseph Conrad

Winning a blue at every show this season, DEAL ME ACES has annexed an enviable eight blues … out of ten performances.

—advertisement in Saddle Horse Report

4

: to attach (something) as a quality, consequence, or condition

—often used with to

Many privileges were annexed exclusively to royalty.

5

archaic : to join (things or people) together : unite

… the deponent … asked Mrs. Tuck for the testator's will and codicil; and he annexed them together and sealed them up …

—The Revised Reports: Being a Republication of Such Cases in the English Courts of Common Law and Equity, from the Year 1785 …

annex

2 of 2

noun

an·​nex ˈa-ˌneks 

-niks

: something annexed as an expansion or supplement: such as

a

: an added stipulation or statement : appendix

approved the annex in the treaty

b

: a building that is attached to or near a larger building and usually used as part of it : wing

Historical photographs were on view in the library's annex.

Synonyms

Verb

• add

Noun

• addition

Examples of annex in a Sentence

Verb

The United States annexed Texas in 1845.

The government planned to annex the islands.

Noun

The addition will be used as an annex to the library.

We store our old files in the annex.

an annex to the document

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Amid the tariff debates in March, Trump again attempted to use the annexing notion as a bargaining chip. —Callum Sutherland, Time, 25 June 2025

Captured from Syrian, Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 in a unilateral decision that was not recognized by the international community. —Chelsea Chan, NBC news, 24 June 2025

Noun

The $28 million Hartford project involves the conversion of an annex in the office building at 242 Trumbull St., a 4-story structure which has its entrance off Pratt Street. —Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2025

Countries hope to adopt by next year’s assembly an annex to the treaty that would guarantee that countries that share virus samples will receive tests, medicines and vaccines used to fight pandemics, under what’s called the Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system. —Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French annexer, from annexe attached, from Latin annexus, past participle of annectere to bind to, from ad- + nectere to bind

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for annex

• annexe
• apex
• aztecs
• carex
• codecs
• codex
• convex
• cusecs
• duplex
• execs
• fedex
• kleenex

Kids Definition

annex

1 of 2 verb

an·​nex ə-ˈneks  ˈan-ˌeks 

1

: to attach as an addition : append

2

: to add (a territory) to one's own territory to form a larger country

the United States annexed Texas in 1845

annexation

ˌan-ˌek-ˈsā-shən 

noun

annex

2 of 2 noun

an·​nex ˈan-ˌeks 

ˈan-iks

: something annexed

especially : an added part of a building

Legal Definition

annex

transitive verb

an·​nex ə-ˈneks, ˈa-ˌneks 

1

: attach sense 2

correspondence annexed to the petition

a greenhouse annexed to the building

2

: to incorporate (as a territory) within a political domain

the district annexes only shards of 24 additional parishes

—Hays v. Louisiana, 839 F. Supp. 1188 (1993)

annexation

ˌa-nek-ˈsā-shən 

noun