anneal

verb

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

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Example Sentences

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
  1. harden
  2. strengthen
  3. fortify
  4. temper
  5. reinforce
Verb
  • As cleanliness standards harden, so does a guest’s leverage when something’s visibly wrong.
    — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Now the companies that recover fastest treat a short, honest, imperfect first statement as more valuable than a polished one that arrives after the narrative has already hardened.
    — Ronn Torossian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of harden
Verb
  • Since 2021 the company has also been intent on strengthening its distribution channels and showrooms across Asia, Europe and North America.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The work is intended to help transfer specialized nuclear-submarine design knowledge, improve technical coordination and strengthen the industrial capabilities required to build and sustain advanced submarines over their operational lifetimes.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of strengthen
Verb
  • City officials have been frantically preparing for Rachel, building sand berms and fortifying vulnerable areas with sandbags.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The 10% pure L-ascorbic acid works to fight against free radical damage and even out skin tone, while a blend of hyaluronic acid and ceramides helps hydrate skin and fortify the skin barrier.
    — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of fortify
Verb
  • Although bright whites dominate the hotel’s design, the warmth of unvarnished wood furniture does much to temper its starkness, and judicious use of pops of colour – fresh greens, yellows and florals – gives visual interest to the luxe space.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier stages of the digital revolution offer reasons to temper those expectations.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of temper
Verb
  • Matt Schnaars, president of platform distribution and partnerships for NBCUniversal, reinforced Shapiro’s observations in a separate session.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The audience response has reinforced interest in experiencing independent films on the big screen and helped inform ABFF’s expansion into theatrical distribution.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

annals
anneal
annealed
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Cite this Entry

“Anneal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anneal. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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