as in to harden
to make stronger (as through hardship)
She was annealed by the tragedies of her childhood.
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Recent Examples of anneal
The system will form the backbone of a long-term partnership between FAU and D-Wave, which provides both annealing and gate-model quantum computing platforms.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The glass sheets spend 45 minutes in a machine called an annealing oven cooling to around 200 degrees.
—Christine Tannous, IndyStar, 13 Nov. 2025
Engineers sparingly tried annealing hardware space, so Juno's experience could be instructive for future missions.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Some annealing quantum-type computers are already commercialized.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 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
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The glass sheets spend 45 minutes in a machine called an annealing oven cooling to around 200 degrees.
—Christine Tannous, IndyStar, 13 Nov. 2025
Engineers sparingly tried annealing hardware space, so Juno's experience could be instructive for future missions.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Some annealing quantum-type computers are already commercialized.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anneal
Verb
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As if the wide-eyed innocent who arrived here has been hardened.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Florida lawmakers are assigning no new money this year for My Safe Florida Home, the popular home-hardening program that awards $10,000 grants to help Floridians upgrade their windows and doors.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Duffy said the registration system and requirements for trucking companies will be strengthened while Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration inspectors conduct more spot checks of trucks and commercial driver's license schools.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
-
His addition also heralded the dawning of an era in which LACMA actively sought to strengthen its connections with the entertainment world.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That reputation was fortified during Hoellering’s reign, which lasted until his death, in 1980, and crystallized by an unforgettable series of posters.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
-
His solution to fortifying our republic was to empower all citizens with the knowledge of and commitment to our Constitution, laws and democratic processes.—
Erin Carlson Mast,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
How Obama tried to temper his answer the following day.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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However, supply-side dynamics could temper that seasonal pressure.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To reshape the Mountain View pond and reinforce levees against sea-level rise and storm surges, crews imported 180,000 cubic yards of fill dirt from local construction sites.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Both names jumped as a result, reinforcing the narrative of relentless AI demand and a fresh wave of hyperscaler spending.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anneal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anneal. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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