as in using
to put into action or service
huge dams harness the power of water to produce electricity
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Recent Examples of harnessing
While the idea is still in its early stages, with more powerful solar arrays in the future, space data centers would have the advantage of harnessing cleaner solar energy, Jeff Thornburg, a SpaceX veteran and CEO of Portal Space Systems, previously told Fortune.
—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
Amid their journey back to Earth, which NASA billed as a fuel-efficient return harnessing the Earth-moon gravity field to pull Orion back home, the crew has tested out their gear while conducting manual piloting demonstrations of the vehicle.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Instead of imitating other instruments and conforming to conventional musical ideas, Buchla (and Ciani) set out to create a paradigm based on harnessing the flow of electricity itself.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
This Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil tackles full-body TLC with silky ease, harnessing the natural power of seaweed—an antioxidant—to nourish and firm skin while improving elasticity and moisture retention.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
This research shows that Native Americans were making dice, generating random outcomes and using those random streams of probability and harnessing them in games of chance 6,000 years earlier.
—ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
Vincent suggests that companies harnessing the hype around smart tech also antagonized public (mis) understandings of the definitional nuances of artificial intelligence.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
The amount of geothermal energy within Earth far exceeds global energy requirements, but harnessing this energy to produce electricity can be difficult.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
In 2010, Icelandic brand Bioeffect staked its claim in the skincare game by harnessing the power of plant biotechnology to produce its now award-winning products.
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
Amid their journey back to Earth, which NASA billed as a fuel-efficient return harnessing the Earth-moon gravity field to pull Orion back home, the crew has tested out their gear while conducting manual piloting demonstrations of the vehicle.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Instead of imitating other instruments and conforming to conventional musical ideas, Buchla (and Ciani) set out to create a paradigm based on harnessing the flow of electricity itself.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
This Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil tackles full-body TLC with silky ease, harnessing the natural power of seaweed—an antioxidant—to nourish and firm skin while improving elasticity and moisture retention.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
This research shows that Native Americans were making dice, generating random outcomes and using those random streams of probability and harnessing them in games of chance 6,000 years earlier.
—ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
Vincent suggests that companies harnessing the hype around smart tech also antagonized public (mis) understandings of the definitional nuances of artificial intelligence.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
The amount of geothermal energy within Earth far exceeds global energy requirements, but harnessing this energy to produce electricity can be difficult.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
In 2010, Icelandic brand Bioeffect staked its claim in the skincare game by harnessing the power of plant biotechnology to produce its now award-winning products.
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harnessing
Verb
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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
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Mayor Karen Bass said officers will also expand their presence in the area by placing LAPD vehicles in high-visibility locations and using license plate readers in high-risk burglary areas.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The restaurant showcases the seasonal bounty of the Carolina Piedmont while utilizing global flavors.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
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Again, utilizing that value takes a bit of mental jiu-jitsu.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bridges has happily accepted the schematic change, which consists of him exploiting mismatches, rebounding, and recognizing when to step up versus defer to teammates.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2026
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Khalil Hathaleen, head of the village council and a member of the extended family that makes up much of Umm al-Khair’s population, said settlers were exploiting the war to seize land, cut down olive groves and raid nearby villages at night.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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In a separate but related order issued the same day, the court granted Lara’s motion to exceed the $1 million statutory cap on damages under Colorado’s Health Care Availability Act, finding that applying the cap would be unfair under the circumstances.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Swalwell did not respond to requests for comment Sunday on the letter or an unrelated federal investigation into his allegedly employing a nanny who overstayed her visa.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
13 Apr. 2026
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The federal law that ICE is now employing to block many immigrants from bail also requires mandatory detention — which attorneys argue is the point.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harnessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harnessing. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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