an ‧ nex /əˈneks $ əˈneks, ˈæneks/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: annexer , from Latin annectere , from ad- 'to' + nectere ( ⇨ ↑ nexus ) ]
to take control of a country or area next to your own, especially by using force:
The Baltic republics were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940.
—annexation /ˌænekˈseɪʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable and countable]