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
-
The twins daydreamed about eating Kentucky Fried Chicken and painting their new bedrooms pink and blue.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Sigg’s intention was always to gift the collection—a nearly 1,500-work group of Chinese contemporary art spanning everything from painting to performance and digital art—to a Chinese institution, so that it could be seen by the public.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Mirroring Nancy Pelosi’s stock trades has become a legitimate investment strategy, and over a million people follow a social media account dedicated to tracking her portfolio.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Main Street mostly remains sanguine, with corporate profits at record highs, AI investment growing, unemployment near historic lows, and the US emerging as a relative winner.—
Shelly Banjo,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Spring means beautiful flowers, fragrant lilacs – and lots of tree pollen coating cars and setting off sneezing, wheezing and headaches.—
Levi Keller,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The musician, who celebrated the 40th anniversary of Control earlier this year, delivered a powerful acceptance speech following her induction by Jimmy Jam, who along with Terry Lewisproduced Rhythm Nation.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
9 May 2026
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With all that being said … the Milwaukee Brewers’ induction of Sabathia into their Wall of Honor on Friday was met with some … confusion.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Initial estimates put repair pricetag at about $400,000, leading the Riverwalk Commission and the now-defunct Exchange Club of Naperville to consider alternatives, including converting the fountain into a static art installation or creating a more natural water feature with plantings.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Attia, a winner of France’s Prix Marcel Duchamp, may be best known for his sculptures and installations that seek to rectify the violence of colonialism in North Africa, but the Berlin- and Paris-based artist has curated at least one notable biennial previously.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anointing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anointing. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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