harness

Definition of harnessnext
as in to use
to put into action or service huge dams harness the power of water to produce electricity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 harness Before this 2025 breakthrough, Sabrina had harnessed grassroots organizing and digital advocacy to spotlight the pervasive violence faced by women and girls. Anna Mutavati, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 Done right, such a framework can harness private-sector innovation while preserving the government’s authority over how these capabilities are ultimately used. Robert F. Dees, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026 Novo Nordisk and ChatGPT maker OpenAI agreed to work together on how to leverage artificial intelligence to discover new drugs, the latest AI partnership in the medical field as health care companies seek to harness the technology to get ahead of the competition, The Wall Street Journal tells us. Ed Silverman, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026 My losses only grew over my formative years, like a black hole whose gravity had harnessed me. Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harness
Verb
  • The Los Angeles and Long Beach unified school districts, the county’s two largest districts, do not use LACOE’s portal for electronic tax documents and their employees were not affected, according to those districts.
    Jason Henry, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • This interactive balance board connects to a free app where your body becomes the controller, using movement to play engaging games.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • For more quotidian looks, the Queen often utilized the visual power of color.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Plans by Becknell are to build the speculative structure, to be called Northwind North Business Park, and utilize it for light industrial businesses to rent.
    Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Vanessa Beecroft was a canary in the coal mine, merging, subverting, and exploiting art, fashion, money, and spectacle.
    Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The Rays’ way also has led some teams to adjust their positioning, which can open up other holes to be exploited.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As of now, Imam has no plans to create a think tank or a second campus, even though those had seemed like good ideas when applying for the grant.
    Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Students apply for it in their junior year, and are tasked with randomly choosing a decade to design head-turning fashion.
    Chris Wragge, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Other sports franchises followed the Giants’ example, and dynamic pricing, which had already been employed by airlines and hotels, gradually became the norm in American sports.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Data on dietary habits exists in a few cookbooks, but researchers have to employ highly specialized methods in order to glean what the status of their health was.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Harness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harness. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on harness

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster