plural harnesses
1
: a set of straps that are placed on an animal (such as a horse) so that it can pull something heavy
2
: a set of straps that are used to connect a person to something (such as a parachute or a seat)
The pilot strapped himself into his harness before takeoff.
a safety harness
harnesses; harnessed; harnessing
1
a
: to put a harness on (an animal)
harness the horses
b
: to attach (an animal) to something with a harness
The horses were harnessed to the wagon.
2
: to use (something) for a particular purpose
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
3
: to connect or join (things) together
She harnessed several computers (together) to work as one large computer.
Cite this Entry
“Harness.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/harness. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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