1. the process of heating and then slowly cooling metal or glass to make it less brittle and easier to work with
Usage: metallurgy; glassmaking
2. a computational technique that finds optimal solutions by simulating the cooling process of heated materials
Usage: computer science; optimization

Examples

• The blacksmith used annealing to soften the steel before shaping it.
• Annealing the glass made it less likely to crack under stress.
• The jewelry maker relied on annealing to work with the silver wire.
• Computer scientists use annealing algorithms to solve complex optimization problems.
• The annealing process requires precise temperature control.
• Without proper annealing, the metal would remain too brittle to use.