ANNEAL Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

anneal

verb

Definition of anneal

as in to harden

to make stronger (as through hardship) She was annealed by the tragedies of her childhood.

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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 anneal Engineers sparingly tried annealing hardware space, so Juno's experience could be instructive for future missions. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025 They’re served in a heap in a bowl, the logs of potato annealed, shiny and splotched with balsamic vinegar. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025 Workable quantum solutions that make use of annealing systems are now in use. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 After annealing, the links are strong covalent bonds [below]. — IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for anneal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anneal

Verb

This is to help chocolate layer not stick to sides when later hardened.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Gray’s challenge in such circumstances is to ensure that Blackstone’s pro-AI convictions don’t harden into a consensus his firm will regret if conditions change.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of harden

Verb

Designed for limp, oily, and dull hair, the color-safe formula washes away stubborn dirt and grime—common culprits of flat waves—while a lineup of amino acids work to soften and strengthen strands.

— Madison San Miguel, Allure, 5 Sep. 2026
If superconductivity in magic-angle graphene were primarily driven by phonons, or vibrations of the atomic lattice, weakening Coulomb interactions would be expected to leave the effect largely unchanged or even strengthen it slightly.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of strengthen

Verb

Japan in recent years has fortified its southwestern region with longer range missiles and interceptors.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Defensively, the return of Daley and Wyatt fortifies a line that already had two other starters back in Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker.

— Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of fortify

Verb

The richest division in the sport might be the strongest, but financial rules, now both domestic and foreign, will do little to temper the advantage of the highest-earners.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Heat and drought were destroying the measures meant to temper them.

— Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of temper

Verb

Leeds, their defence reinforced by the arrival of Tarik Muharemovic, look like a tough nut to crack.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Unlike ceramides, which reinforce the moisture barrier, or hyaluronic acid, which mainly hydrates at the surface, urea can moisturize and, at higher strengths, exfoliate dead skin cells.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of reinforce

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annals

anneal

annealed

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“Anneal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anneal. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of anneal

verb

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