Meaning & use
annealed
Last updated
“annealed” is a form of “anneal”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitivetechnical
heated and then cooled slowly to make glass or metal stronger and less likely to break.
Grammar: Annealed is the past participle; the full verb is anneal, which takes an object: anneal the glass.
Patterns
- anneal something
- be annealed at a temperature
The glass was annealed in a special oven to remove internal stress.
After the metal had been annealed, it could be bent without cracking.
verbtransitivetechnical
made stronger or more flexible by a process of heating and slow cooling.
Grammar: Used in the passive: the metal is annealed. The active form is anneal something.
Patterns
- anneal something
- be annealed
The copper pipes were annealed so they would not break under pressure.
Carefully annealed steel can withstand repeated stress.
Word forms
| base form | anneal |
|---|---|
| third person singular | anneals |
| past tense | annealed |
| past participle | annealed |
| -ing form | annealing |
Common combinations
- annealed glass
- The window was made of annealed glass, which breaks into large pieces.
- annealed metal
- The workshop specializes in annealed metal for musical instruments.
- fully annealed
- The wire is fully annealed and very soft.
- annealed at a temperature
- The material is annealed at 600 degrees Celsius.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tempered
- Tempered usually means made stronger by a different process, often involving rapid cooling; annealed means made softer and less brittle.
- heat-treated
- Heat-treated is a general term for any heating process, while annealed refers specifically to slow cooling to soften.
Word family
Commonly confused: annealed or annexed?
annealed vs annexed
Annexed means taken over or added (as territory); annealed is about heating and cooling.
Practice
The metal was ______ to make it softer and easier to shape.
Choose one answer.
The correct past participle is 'annealed' because it describes the result of the heating process. 'Annexed' is wrong because it means 'took over land'. 'Annealed with' is wrong because the verb does not take 'with' in this sense. 'Annealing' is the -ing form and does not fit after 'was'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “annealed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.