anointed; anointing; anoints

transitive verb

1
: to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance
2
a
: to apply oil to as part of a religious ceremony
The priest anointed the sick.
b
: to choose by or as if by divine election
anoint him as his successor
also : to designate as if by a ritual anointment
Critics have anointed her as an important new literary figure.
anointer noun
anointment noun

Examples of anoint in a Sentence

The magazine anointed her the most popular actress of the year. anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At his coronation, King Charles III of England was anointed with olive oil from the Monastery of Mary Magdalene, where his grandmother is buried. Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Equal parts tribute and sendup, the moment cleverly heralds the arrival of a new generation anointing its own voices, skewering its own pieties, and distinguishing itself from the wave of millennials that swept pop culture in the early 2010s. Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2025 Maybe a dozen other vehicles have also been anointed as the finest automotive masterpiece. James Raia, Mercury News, 11 May 2025 That’s especially true with Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John procedure essentially anointing Fried the Yankees’ de facto ace. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anoint

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enoint, past participle of enoindre, from Latin inunguere, from in- + unguere to smear — more at ointment

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anoint was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Anoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anoint. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

anoint

verb
1
: to rub over with oil or an oily substance
2
: to put oil on as part of a religious ceremony
anointer noun
anointment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on anoint

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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