as in used
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 harnessed
The two accessed both of those energies and harnessed them to make the show.
—
Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
Like the midwives’ spells Pliny the Elder described, this ritual harnessed the belief that women’s bodies and voices were powerful and transformative.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Scientists have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to unlock secrets hidden within the densest objects in the universe.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
For example, a time usually marked by slumber might be countered with diligence, while a time of dedicated attention could be harnessed for deeper reflection.
—Jue Liang, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026
But Kylie has harnessed the power of meta-fame in the age of social media better than anyone.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026
On that album, #gigi, skai harnessed beat drops like wrecking balls crashing into the walls of their heart.
—Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
That’s a lot of brain power, which will hopefully be harnessed for the good of humanity, rather than just to enrich pornographers or scam artists.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2026
For his Gucci runway debut, Demna harnessed the power of celebrity while also commenting on the intersection of fame and fashion.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
Like the midwives’ spells Pliny the Elder described, this ritual harnessed the belief that women’s bodies and voices were powerful and transformative.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Scientists have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to unlock secrets hidden within the densest objects in the universe.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
For example, a time usually marked by slumber might be countered with diligence, while a time of dedicated attention could be harnessed for deeper reflection.
—Jue Liang, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026
But Kylie has harnessed the power of meta-fame in the age of social media better than anyone.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026
On that album, #gigi, skai harnessed beat drops like wrecking balls crashing into the walls of their heart.
—Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
That’s a lot of brain power, which will hopefully be harnessed for the good of humanity, rather than just to enrich pornographers or scam artists.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2026
For his Gucci runway debut, Demna harnessed the power of celebrity while also commenting on the intersection of fame and fashion.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harnessed
Verb
-
Anthropic wanted assurances from the Pentagon that its AI chatbot would not be used for mass domestic surveillance or to operate fully autonomous weapons.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
-
By participating in the contest, the winners agree to have their name, voice, or likeness used in any advertising or broadcasting material relating to this contest, and to sign a publicity release, affidavit of eligibility and release of liability prior to acceptance of the prize.—
CBS LA Staff,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Without this specific chemical transformation, the raw uranium mined from the ground cannot be utilized as fuel for nuclear power plants.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
-
It's typically utilized on things like hinges, locks, gears and machinery, in dusty environments where traditional lubricants would attract debris.—
Ben Coxworth
March 27,
New Atlas,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Eco effort The hotel has applied for its LEED assessment following the adoption of a number of sustainability and energy-saving measures during the property’s renovation and current operations.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment by Boston EMS after the officers applied tourniquets to their wounds, BPD said.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sangha was one of five defendants charged in the case, which prosecutors described as a network of suppliers who exploited Perry’s addiction.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the Jayhawks have flaws that the Aztecs have exploited in previous wins.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Survivors, relatives and Cal-OSHA raised concerns about the conditions under which workers were employed, including allegations that some were paid in cash and received little to no safety training.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Meta employed nearly 79,000 workers as of December, a 6% increase year-over-year.—
Emily Lorsch,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harnessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harnessed. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
