as in smeared
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 anointed
Curry Barker, the writer-director of Obsession, has been similarly anointed.
—
Tyler Chou, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
As long as there has been gaming media, there have been anointed games that everyone who’s part of the club is expected to like.
—ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
The Kop anointed him in song as their Egyptian King.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Lewer wasn’t the only prizewinner anointed at the ceremony.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 May 2026
Now adding to an imposing lineup that includes Baruch Spinoza, Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein, as well as artistic luminaries ranging from Leonard Bernstein to Mark Rothko, the publisher has anointed Stephen Sondheim.
—Chip Brown, Air Mail, 11 Apr. 2026
On Monday, as he was nominated in parliament as a presidential candidate, Min Aung Hlaing anointed Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief seen as fiercely loyal to the general, as his successor to lead the military.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
He has been anointed for no-doubt stardom since the Army All-American Bowl in 2018, when Waddle first crossed paths with Pat Surtain II.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
Chavez was positioned as the Christlike figure who toiled for all of us at great personal cost and thus was anointed the face of the farmworkers movement.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Tyler Chou, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
As long as there has been gaming media, there have been anointed games that everyone who’s part of the club is expected to like.
—ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
The Kop anointed him in song as their Egyptian King.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Lewer wasn’t the only prizewinner anointed at the ceremony.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 May 2026
Now adding to an imposing lineup that includes Baruch Spinoza, Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein, as well as artistic luminaries ranging from Leonard Bernstein to Mark Rothko, the publisher has anointed Stephen Sondheim.
—Chip Brown, Air Mail, 11 Apr. 2026
On Monday, as he was nominated in parliament as a presidential candidate, Min Aung Hlaing anointed Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief seen as fiercely loyal to the general, as his successor to lead the military.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
He has been anointed for no-doubt stardom since the Army All-American Bowl in 2018, when Waddle first crossed paths with Pat Surtain II.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
Chavez was positioned as the Christlike figure who toiled for all of us at great personal cost and thus was anointed the face of the farmworkers movement.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anointed
Verb
-
The dog couldn’t go in her room so soon after her transplant, so Aspen dabbed colors on a small canvas and handed it to Scott, who put it in a plastic bag and smeared peanut butter on top.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
-
The dog couldn’t go in her room so soon after her transplant, so Aspen dabbed colors on a small canvas and handed it to Scott, who put it in a plastic bag and smeared peanut butter on top.—
Laura Ungar,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Moorish influences extend from the bathroom doorways to the terrace, painted soft greens and pinks in contrast to the darker woods and fabrics.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
In fact, the coverage for the start of Davis’s second marathon was far more widespread than the first and included an article on Mark Samuels, the artist who painted the second Winkie billboard.—
Jonathan Odden,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Next, mosquitoes were given a choice between two human hands − one untreated and one coated with DEET at normal concentrations.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
Bathrooms are coated with marble and feature a tub and shower, both stocked with Diptyque toiletries in pump bottles and bath salts with loofahs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anointed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anointed. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
