anneal

verb

Definition of annealnext
as in to harden
to make stronger (as through hardship) She was annealed by the tragedies of her childhood.

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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 anneal Engineers sparingly tried annealing hardware space, so Juno's experience could be instructive for future missions. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025 They’re served in a heap in a bowl, the logs of potato annealed, shiny and splotched with balsamic vinegar. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025 Workable quantum solutions that make use of annealing systems are now in use. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 After annealing, the links are strong covalent bonds [below]. — IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for anneal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anneal
  1. harden
  2. strengthen
  3. fortify
  4. temper
  5. reinforce
Verb
  • European countries have hardened their stance against Chinese imports over fears that an influx of goods like solar panels and EVs could hollow out the bloc’s industries.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The incident could further inflame tensions between the Koreas, which have no working military hotlines or other emergency communications channels as North Korea hardens its stance toward Seoul while expanding its military nuclear program.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of harden
Verb
  • The brand is best known for its bestselling $38 HoliRoots Hair Oil, which features ingredients such as ashwagandha, dashmool and castor oil to strengthen strands and promote hair growth.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch’s president and CEO, said the 777 will strengthen the company’s ability to meet customer demand.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of strengthen
Verb
  • In August, Bonnaroo, the beloved Tennessee festival, was canceled to take a break and fortify the grounds after back to back years of heavy storms.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Residents stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes in some coastal areas on Thursday.
    — Eugene Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of fortify
Verb
  • If even a project with as much momentum behind it as Kilby sees a possible slowdown ahead, other data center developers should temper their expectations for pacing accordingly.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Whisking constantly, ladle 2 cups of the hot rice mixture into the bowl with the eggs to temper them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of temper
Verb
  • While such gifts can help to reinforce certain values, Pennington says that is not the only reason more people are choosing not to wait until after they’re gone to give away money.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Anton’s investment in The Creatives reinforces the financial strength of the group and provides additional access to equity financing.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

annals
anneal
annealed
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Cite this Entry

“Anneal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anneal. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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