annexed; annexing; annexes
1
: to incorporate (an additional geographic area) within the domain of a country, state, etc.
The U.S. annexed Texas in 1845.
… the Dutch colony was annexed by Indonesia.—
Julian Evans
Julian EvansDanville [Illinois] has continued to expand its geographic footprint despite population decline by annexing adjacent communities.—Sara S. Metcalf
Sara S. Metcalf2
: to add (something) to something earlier, larger, or more important
—often used with to
They annexed a copy of the letter to the affidavit.
… a … bathroom annexed to a wide variety of household spaces.—Duo Dickinson
Duo Dickinson3
: to obtain or take (something) for oneself
After a time Heyst perceived that Wang had annexed all the keys. Any keys left lying about vanished after Wang had passed that way.—Joseph Conrad
Joseph ConradWinning a blue at every show this season, DEAL ME ACES has annexed an enviable eight blues … out of ten performances.—advertisement in Saddle Horse Report
advertisement in Saddle Horse Report4
: to attach (something) as a quality, consequence, or condition
—often used with to
Many privileges were annexed exclusively to royalty.
5
archaic
: to join (things or people) together : unite
… the deponent … asked Mrs. Tuck for the testator's will and codicil; and he annexed them together and sealed them up …—The Revised Reports: Being a Republication of Such Cases in the English Courts of Common Law and Equity, from the Year 1785 …
The Revised Reports: Being a Republication of Such Cases in the English Courts of Common Law and Equity, from the Year 1785 …Synonyms
Examples of annex in a Sentence
Verb
The United States annexed Texas in 1845.
The government planned to annex the islands.
Noun
The addition will be used as an annex to the library.
We store our old files in the annex.
an annex to the document
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Palestinians said the wall was designed to destroy and annex Palestinian lands impacted by its construction, the UN states.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2024
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Like much of California, the previous annex needed renovation — plumbing, sprinklers for fires, Décor was drab.
—Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for annex 
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Verb
After the replica annex is constructed in the Netherlands, it will be shipped across the Atlantic to New York.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Palestinians said the wall was designed to destroy and annex Palestinian lands impacted by its construction, the UN states.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2024
Noun
On August 4, 1944, police raided the annex and arrested all of its occupants.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Like much of California, the previous annex needed renovation — plumbing, sprinklers for fires, Décor was drab.
—Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for annex
Dictionary Entries Near annex
Cite this Entry
“Annex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annex. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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annex
transitive verb
an·nex
ə-ˈneks, ˈa-ˌneks 
1
: attach sense 2
correspondence annexed to the petition
a greenhouse annexed to the building
2
: to incorporate (as a territory) within a political domain
the district annexes only shards of 24 additional parishes—Hays v. Louisiana, 839 F. Supp. 1188 (1993)
Hays v. Louisiana, 839 F. Supp. 1188 (1993)Love words? Need even more definitions?
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