1. to heat metal or glass and then cool it slowly to make it less brittle and easier to work with
Usage: technical; metallurgy
2. to strengthen or toughen something through a process of heating and cooling
Usage: figurative use

Examples

• The blacksmith annealed the steel to make it more workable.
• Glass must be annealed after shaping to prevent cracking.
• The metalworker annealed the copper wire to increase its flexibility.
• Heat treatment helps anneal the metal components.
• Years of hardship annealed his character.
• The process anneals the material by removing internal stress.