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
  • European countries have hardened their stance against Chinese imports over fears that an influx of goods like solar panels and EVs could hollow out the bloc’s industries.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The incident could further inflame tensions between the Koreas, which have no working military hotlines or other emergency communications channels as North Korea hardens its stance toward Seoul while expanding its military nuclear program.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of harden
Verb
  • In this role, Baudry will lead Bobbi Brown’s global strategy, strengthening the brand’s distinctive equity, advancing innovation and creativity and deepening consumer engagement.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The larger spread also strengthens hospitals’ incentive to choose costlier drugs and move treatment into 340B billing sites.
    — Casey B. Mulligan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of strengthen
Verb
  • The additional financing fortifies its position as one of two investors alongside the Ellison family controlling Paramount’s voting stock.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • CISOs invested billions of dollars fortifying corporate inboxes with secure email gateways (SEGs), enforcing strict DMARC policies and conducting continuous phishing simulations for employees.
    — Firas Azmeh, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fortify
Verb
  • If even a project with as much momentum behind it as Kilby sees a possible slowdown ahead, other data center developers should temper their expectations for pacing accordingly.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Whisking constantly, ladle 2 cups of the hot rice mixture into the bowl with the eggs to temper them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of temper
Verb
  • The experience reinforced her belief that Vancouver has plenty of animation talent, but still needs more infrastructure for independent creators.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Its amino-acid complex helps smooth and strengthen strands from the inside out, while amaranth extract reinforces fragile hair and baobab extract helps improve elasticity and bounce.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 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 10 Oct. 2026.

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