as in smeared
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection
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Recent Examples of anointed
Moyes was out of contract at the end of the 2012-13 season, and the story went that he was anointed as Ferguson’s successor during a meeting at his fellow Scot’s house.
—
Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Now adding to an imposing lineup that includes Baruch Spinoza, Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein, as well as artistic luminaries ranging from Leonard Bernstein to Mark Rothko, the publisher has anointed Stephen Sondheim.
—Chip Brown, Air Mail, 11 Apr. 2026
On Monday, as he was nominated in parliament as a presidential candidate, Min Aung Hlaing anointed Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief seen as fiercely loyal to the general, as his successor to lead the military.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
He has been anointed for no-doubt stardom since the Army All-American Bowl in 2018, when Waddle first crossed paths with Pat Surtain II.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
Chavez was positioned as the Christlike figure who toiled for all of us at great personal cost and thus was anointed the face of the farmworkers movement.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
The Jets will be paying the bulk of his salary, a rapid fall of stature for a quarterback anointed the Week 1 starter in New York a year ago.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
Today, the Midwest town’s Dutch heritage is on full display from a working grain mill (anointed the Vermeer Windmill) to Tulip Time, an annual three-day tulip festival with some 300,000 flowers in early May.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 25 Feb. 2026
Sullivan regularly anointed stars and cultural icons with a single appearance, beaming performers—Elvis Presley, the Supremes, and the Beatles—straight into homes that might never otherwise encounter them.
—Margaret Heidenry, Vanity Fair, 24 Feb. 2026
Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Now adding to an imposing lineup that includes Baruch Spinoza, Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein, as well as artistic luminaries ranging from Leonard Bernstein to Mark Rothko, the publisher has anointed Stephen Sondheim.
—Chip Brown, Air Mail, 11 Apr. 2026
On Monday, as he was nominated in parliament as a presidential candidate, Min Aung Hlaing anointed Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief seen as fiercely loyal to the general, as his successor to lead the military.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
He has been anointed for no-doubt stardom since the Army All-American Bowl in 2018, when Waddle first crossed paths with Pat Surtain II.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
Chavez was positioned as the Christlike figure who toiled for all of us at great personal cost and thus was anointed the face of the farmworkers movement.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
The Jets will be paying the bulk of his salary, a rapid fall of stature for a quarterback anointed the Week 1 starter in New York a year ago.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
Today, the Midwest town’s Dutch heritage is on full display from a working grain mill (anointed the Vermeer Windmill) to Tulip Time, an annual three-day tulip festival with some 300,000 flowers in early May.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 25 Feb. 2026
Sullivan regularly anointed stars and cultural icons with a single appearance, beaming performers—Elvis Presley, the Supremes, and the Beatles—straight into homes that might never otherwise encounter them.
—Margaret Heidenry, Vanity Fair, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anointed
Verb
-
Greenhaven had racked up years of health violations, including from letting untrained workers administer medications, lacking enough employees to care for people with dementia, and neglecting a resident who smeared feces over his body, bed, floor, and bathroom, the notice said.—
Jordan Rau,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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Many told me the liberal media had smeared them as racists, xenophobes and misogynists.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the women sat on a silk fabric sofa, the wall behind them showcased a painting of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, painted by Ferdinand Richardt in 1858.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Another man, rakishly smoking a cigarette and dressed in an incongruous outfit of sweatpants and a plaid peacoat, has painted his face to resemble the Joker.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While this necklace is gold vermeil (coated), it’s designed to last a long time—just make sure not to shower with it on.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The exterior of the ring is coated in titanium, which held up well during two weeks of testing.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anointed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anointed. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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