annex
Americanverb (used with object)
-
annexes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
annexed,
past participle, past
-
annexing
present participle
-
to attach, append, or add, especially to something larger or more important.
-
to incorporate (territory) into the domain of a city, country, or state.
Germany annexed part of Czechoslovakia.
-
to take or appropriate, especially without permission.
-
to attach as an attribute, condition, or consequence.
noun
-
annexes
plural
-
something annexed.
-
a subsidiary building or an addition to a building.
The emergency room is in the annex of the main building.
-
something added to a document; appendix; supplement.
an annex to a treaty.
verb
-
to join or add, esp to something larger; attach
-
to add (territory) by conquest or occupation
-
to add or append as a condition, warranty, etc
-
to appropriate without permission
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
preannexverb (used with object)
-
reannexverb (used with object)
-
annexableadjective
-
nonannexableadjective
-
unannexableadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
annexsimple
-
annexessimple
-
have annexedperfect
-
has annexedperfect
-
am annexingprogressive
-
are annexingprogressive
-
is annexingprogressive
-
have been annexingperfect progressive
-
has been annexingperfect progressive
Past
-
annexedsimple
-
had annexedperfect
-
was annexingprogressive
-
were annexingprogressive
-
had been annexingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of annex
First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French annexer, from Medieval Latin annexāre, derivative of Latin annexus “tied to,” past participle of annectere ( see annectent); (noun) from French annexe or noun use of verb
Explanation
An annex is an extension of or an addition to a building. A small room off of a main room is an annex, and attics are another type of annex. As a noun, an annex is part of a building or an addition to a main structure, or it can be an attachment, as in "an annex to the current plans." When used as a verb, the word means something a little different. Sometimes annex is used as a nice word for "take" or "grab," as when Nazi Germany took the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia in 1938 and added it to their own territory. In order to annex something to what is yours, you have to take it away from someone else.
Vocabulary lists containing annex
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Diary of a Young Girl
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Now, as global trade norms dissolve and the U.S. threatens to annex neighboring Greenland, for some here, joining the EU looks like a smart geopolitical insurance policy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
"Every month this annex stays unfinished is a month the world is less ready than it could be, and people are less safe than they deserve to be," they said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
The lawsuit alleges that detainees face similar conditions as those at the annex, such as mold, disease, medical neglect and inadequate food and water.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026
As tensions mounted over President Trump's threats to annex Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, the European Parliament in January suspended the approval of the deal.
From BBC ● May 1, 2026
Territorial empires directly occupy territories with their armies, throw out the old rulers, and annex the land.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
But Inara demands the whole agreement, including all annexes and associated materials, the secretary of state’s verification assessment and any certifications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Participants will be working on shared language for annexes covering child protection, AI security and governance and diffusing AI through economies -- especially to small and medium firms.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
The last Mexican governor of the state, he reckons with land-grabbers in the final era of Mexican governance before the United States annexes the territory.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2025
Now, though, Le Fisc says it’s ironed out these problems, and is looking to expand the use of its software spotting pools to identifying other undeclared and taxable housing improvements, like extensions and annexes.
From The Verge ● Aug. 30, 2022
That spring, Germany annexes Czechoslovakia and then demands Danzig and the Polish corridor—the land separating Germany from East Prussia.
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
In Zaporizhzhia, capital of the region of the same name which was partially annexed by Russia soon after the invasion, a shopping mall was almost completely destroyed on Monday, its owners reported.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
The eighth project was annexed into the City of Granbury, which had not received any development plans, according to a spokesperson.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
Not the kind that requires parcels of land to be annexed, such as Guantanamo Bay, in exchange for freedom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026
Lore Segal was 10 years old in 1938 when Nazi Germany annexed Austria and began the process of annulling the citizenships and confiscating the properties of Jewish families such as her own.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
On June 29, 1889, when Holmes’s building was half completed, Chicago annexed Englewood and soon afterward established a new police precinct, the Tenth, Second Division, at Sixty-third and Wentworth, seven blocks from Holmes’s pharmacy.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
In June, Hoekstra said the idea of the US annexing Canada would be "a great discussion" for Trump to have with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
The war, fought over several dramatic months in 1898, ended with the United States driving Spain from Cuba and annexing Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025
A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that only 19 percent of Americans support annexing Greenland; another European poll found that only 6 percent of Greenlanders would be interested in joining the U.S.
From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2025
Part of President William McKinley's legacy was his role in annexing Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines and Hawaii.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2025
Like they’re annexing us or doing us some kind of favor.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
