anointed; anointing; anoints
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
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
Laws, churches, and IKEA were all anointed.
—
Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
In June 2022, Forbes anointed golf star Tiger Woods a billionaire, owing his impressive status to his various championship wins and numerous endorsements, including Gatorade and Nike.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
The Swiss dominated the big tournaments of the mid-2000s, which would earn anybody plaudits, but his unique blend of style and grace caused a significant portion of the tennis world to anoint him as the sport’s Jesus, masking his dynamism, physicality, and weaknesses in the process.
—Owen Lewis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
As a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, King understood that the spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he was anointed to deal with the problems of the poor.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anoint
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Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
In June 2022, Forbes anointed golf star Tiger Woods a billionaire, owing his impressive status to his various championship wins and numerous endorsements, including Gatorade and Nike.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
The Swiss dominated the big tournaments of the mid-2000s, which would earn anybody plaudits, but his unique blend of style and grace caused a significant portion of the tennis world to anoint him as the sport’s Jesus, masking his dynamism, physicality, and weaknesses in the process.
—Owen Lewis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
As a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, King understood that the spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he was anointed to deal with the problems of the poor.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anoint
Cite this Entry
“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anoint. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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