as in anointment
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as in smearing
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
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Recent Examples of anointing
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Chalamet represents a less comfortable path for the industry — an anointing of the popular kid, an endorsement of a set of campaign standards that doesn’t exactly align with its own.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 4 Mar. 2026
The anointing of Dokoupil in mid-December may have surprised some viewers.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Clair Obscur was already the favorite to win the grand prize — but kicking off the show with the game front-and-center felt like an anointing.
—James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025
David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
At least one competitor is already anointing Stolz, a seven-time world champ who’s just 21— and only halfway through the Olympic program in Milan—the best ever.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
Hot 97 has played an outsize role for decades in debuting new hits, anointing superstars, and wading into major cultural debates; Mero’s most recent predecessor in the morning-show role is Ebro Darden, who announced the end of his 20-plus-year tenure at the station in December.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
The wins come on the heels of the Gotham Film Awards anointing One Battle After Another its Best Feature on Monday, and the New York Film Critics Circle doing the same Tuesday.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2025
Since Ellison’s takeover of Paramount, the company has raised eyebrows for seeming to appease conservative audiences, particularly with CBS News anointing Weiss, who forged her brand as a columnist arguing against progressive politics.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors said that instead of seeking medical treatment when their two-day-old son, Hayden, stopped eating and began to turn pale blue, Blair, 37, and Taylor, 32, relied on praying over their son’s body and anointing him with olive oil.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Already, awards prognosticators are anointing it a possible Oscar player in several major categories.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
Fittingly, or desperately depending on your vantage point, Jones’ campaign from three years ago was the only tangible evidence Steichen could lean on while anointing him the starter over Richardson.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
By all accounts, virality is violent for its subjects, and building a sustainable career from sudden celebrity is a formidable task; any sensible person would be wise to distrust such an instantaneous anointing.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Chalamet represents a less comfortable path for the industry — an anointing of the popular kid, an endorsement of a set of campaign standards that doesn’t exactly align with its own.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 4 Mar. 2026
The anointing of Dokoupil in mid-December may have surprised some viewers.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Clair Obscur was already the favorite to win the grand prize — but kicking off the show with the game front-and-center felt like an anointing.
—James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025
Verb
Otherwise, the evening was more about anointing talent that was arguably overdue for awards recognition.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
At least one competitor is already anointing Stolz, a seven-time world champ who’s just 21— and only halfway through the Olympic program in Milan—the best ever.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
Hot 97 has played an outsize role for decades in debuting new hits, anointing superstars, and wading into major cultural debates; Mero’s most recent predecessor in the morning-show role is Ebro Darden, who announced the end of his 20-plus-year tenure at the station in December.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
The wins come on the heels of the Gotham Film Awards anointing One Battle After Another its Best Feature on Monday, and the New York Film Critics Circle doing the same Tuesday.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2025
Since Ellison’s takeover of Paramount, the company has raised eyebrows for seeming to appease conservative audiences, particularly with CBS News anointing Weiss, who forged her brand as a columnist arguing against progressive politics.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors said that instead of seeking medical treatment when their two-day-old son, Hayden, stopped eating and began to turn pale blue, Blair, 37, and Taylor, 32, relied on praying over their son’s body and anointing him with olive oil.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Already, awards prognosticators are anointing it a possible Oscar player in several major categories.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
Fittingly, or desperately depending on your vantage point, Jones’ campaign from three years ago was the only tangible evidence Steichen could lean on while anointing him the starter over Richardson.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anointing
Noun
-
The result of this dynamic tension of bootlickers, according to Bernhard’s narrator, is the perpetual elevation and official anointment of mediocrity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
-
According to the Dera, Singh’s ascent to power is a story of divine anointment.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 2012, the gossip site Gawker, infamous for smearing conservative activists, published embarrassing footage of Hogan that had been secretly recorded and had no legitimate news value.—
George Harris,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The pigment lasts all day without smearing.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Most students who complete these programs are not seeking traditional ordination as rabbis.—
Michal Raucher,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The encounter between Christianity’s two most famous religious figures would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, given the divisions between their two churches over women’s ordination in general and Mullally's appointment in particular.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Valdez’s agency was in damage-control mode this winter, releasing a 20-minute video that focused primarily on the pitcher’s upbringing, painting him in a personable light.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
The laggards in the polls also took on Steyer, painting him as hypocritical for claiming an environmentalist’s mantle, after acquiring some of his vast wealth with fossil fuel investments.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Private business investments contributed more to GDP growth than consumer spending, a trend that could continue as US hyperscalers pledge to ramp up their AI expenditures.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Yet to consider this an album merely meant to capitalize on controversy, or a work that’s entirely tethered to the news cycle and the click economy, would be to miss Kneecap’s deep investment in something larger than themselves.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The process begins by separating a couple of small silicon chips from a larger sheet, then coating them with a layer of oxide in a high-temperature furnace.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The chef deep-fries his mushroom patties in avocado oil after coating them with acorn flour.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The travel group Sports Travel and Tours is offering packages to attend the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony — which will feature former Braves outfielder Andruw Jones — in Cooperstown, New York, on July 26.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
1 May 2026
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Another product of New Jersey, Heath also shared the field at North Carolina in 2006 with her induction classmate; O’Reilly was a senior and Heath a freshman, helping deliver an NCAA championship.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Over the past decade, Pau has created a series of media installations about the bauhinia, exploring different methods of rendering scientific data as sound and light.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Many HOAs inquire about the rules regarding the installation of security-monitoring cameras.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anointing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anointing. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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