as in smeared
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of anointed
Two days later, the player anointed as the NHL’s best all-around defenseman was on the ice at a Detroit-area rink under the watch of Jonathan Sigalet, his skills coach.
—
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 June 2026
In the wake of the shooting, many New Yorkers anointed him a hero for doling out street justice in the crime-riddled subway system.
—Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
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
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
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 June 2026
In the wake of the shooting, many New Yorkers anointed him a hero for doling out street justice in the crime-riddled subway system.
—Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anointed
Verb
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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
-
The Reflecting Pool basin was previously painted achromatic and gray.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
The landscape rises into steep hills and Victorian and Edwardian architecture, painted in pastel colors and flowing with misty fog.—
Becky Duffett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Regions like Brittany and Bordeaux have their own distinctive baking traditions, with buttery treats that come shaped like bicycle wheels or coated in beeswax.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
-
When Rob Mango moved into a loft on Duane Street in 1977, his neighbors were Richard Serra and dairy-and-egg wholesalers with warehouse floors coated in yolks and grime.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anointed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anointed. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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