MEANING
1. To apply oil or another substance to someone, especially in a ceremony granting sacred status or office.
2. To ceremonially designate or publicly select someone for a role.
Use it for
sacred kingship; healing rites; public recognition of a chosen personMake authority or blessing arrive through a small bodily gesture.
Words that belong together
- anoint a monarch
- anoint with oil
- anointed ruler
On the page
The priest anointed her brow with oil from the eastern orchard.
He had been anointed king before he understood the oath.
She anointed the wounded child's hands and then changed the bandages.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- anoint / anoints
- Past tense
- anointed
- Past participle
- anointed
- Present participle
- anointing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- anoint / anoints
- Present continuous
- am/is/are anointing
- Present perfect
- have/has anointed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been anointing
- Past
- anointed
- Past continuous
- was/were anointing
- Past perfect
- had anointed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been anointing
- Future
- will anoint / anoints
- Future continuous
- will be anointing
- Future perfect
- will have anointed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been anointing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: fantasy. Can also mean ceremonially selecting a successor; distinguish ritual anointing from ordinary application of ointment. Verb (base / third-person singular / past / past participle / -ing): anoint, anoints, anointed, anointed, anointing.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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