as in smeared
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
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Recent Examples of anointed
Laws, churches, and IKEA were all anointed.
—
Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
In June 2022, Forbes anointed golf star Tiger Woods a billionaire, owing his impressive status to his various championship wins and numerous endorsements, including Gatorade and Nike.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
As a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, King understood that the spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he was anointed to deal with the problems of the poor.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
What was once dismissed as merely pop could now be anointed as art.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
But this view illustrates exactly why he’s expected to be anointed a superstar in Milan.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Since his buzzy arrival, D’Angelo had been anointed rhythm and blues’ golden child, destined to sit at the same table with the likes of soul giants Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Al Green.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Essential in this map were, from the start, the Armed Forces, a sector with which Maduro had little relationship before being anointed by Chávez.
—Inés Capdevila, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
One Battle’s front-runner status came from the top down, its greatness anointed by critics and tastemakers before the general audience could see it.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
In June 2022, Forbes anointed golf star Tiger Woods a billionaire, owing his impressive status to his various championship wins and numerous endorsements, including Gatorade and Nike.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
As a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, King understood that the spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he was anointed to deal with the problems of the poor.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
What was once dismissed as merely pop could now be anointed as art.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
But this view illustrates exactly why he’s expected to be anointed a superstar in Milan.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Since his buzzy arrival, D’Angelo had been anointed rhythm and blues’ golden child, destined to sit at the same table with the likes of soul giants Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Al Green.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Essential in this map were, from the start, the Armed Forces, a sector with which Maduro had little relationship before being anointed by Chávez.
—Inés Capdevila, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
One Battle’s front-runner status came from the top down, its greatness anointed by critics and tastemakers before the general audience could see it.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anointed
Verb
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Their clothes are smeared with mud, symbolizing the earthy, devotional spirit of the journey.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Elliot has a bloody nose, a mouth smeared with lipstick and is wearing a frilly pink bra and pants.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Fans were spoiled with 12 tracks of retro-inspired, plushy pop — and as the rollout suggested, the tracks painted a greater picture of Carpenter’s arduous dating experience, brought to life with production and writing support from acclaimed collaborators Jack Antonoff, John Ryan and Amy Allen.—
Meghan Mahar,
Billboard,
26 Jan. 2026
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On other issues, the Democratic contenders painted billionaires as a driving force behind economic inequality and political influence.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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It’s made from weather-resistant, heavy-duty plastic coated to look like real wood and is corrosion- and fade-resistant.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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At Yerord Mas it’s brined and smoked like pastrami, but also coated in the signature basturma spice blend of chaimen.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anointed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anointed. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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